New law allows retired police officers to work in Arizona schools
New legislation aims to increase school safety by allowing retired law enforcement officers to work in schools.
Gov. Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2074 into law on May 6, expanding the School Safety Program that began in 2007. The School Safety Program is a state-funded grant that schools can apply for to create safer learning environments by increasing the number of officers, counselors and social workers on campus.
'Just as we have a shortage of teachers, we have the shortage of police officers,' Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said.
Previously, school police officers were required to be actively licensed. Now, retired peace officers previously employed in Arizona who left the workforce in good standing can work as school officers. Retired officers would still need to be assigned to the School Safety Program by a law enforcement agency, such as a local police department.
Horne said HB 2074 was the most significant school safety law since the School Safety Program's creation.
HB 2074 was sponsored by Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, and approved by the Legislature in April. The bill expands the authorized use of School Safety Program grants issued by the Arizona State Department of Education.
An estimated $33 million in grant funding went unused during the 2024-24 school year because schools couldn't find personnel to hire due to qualification requirements, Gress said.
Aside from adding more school resource officers, as school police officers are commonly called, HB 2074 allows School Safety Program grant money to be used for safety infrastructure, equipment and training. The bill also requires at least one officer at a school to receive training in interacting with students with disabilities.
The law also exempts schools from having to release school blueprints or floorplans in response to public records requests.
Schools receiving grant funding will also now be required to complete regular safety assessments and develop emergency response plans.
Coverage of education solutions on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is partially supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation's Arizona Community Collaborative Fund.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New law allows retired police officers to work in Arizona schools
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