LYNNWOOD — Snohomish County deputy sheriff Rebecca Lewis walks the halls of Lynnwood High School with a friendly smile and an eagle eye.
Earlier this year, she persuaded a troubled teen to turn over a knife he brought to the campus. Two weeks ago, she tracked down four teenage suspects, including two students, hours after an arson at a home near the school.
She’s trained to spot what others might not see: drug use, gang colors, abuse.
In education-speak, Lewis is known as a school resource officer, the law enforcement front line in a school emergency who gets to know students each day in an effort to prevent potential crimes before they happen.
Most large high schools in Snohomish County either have a deputy or a police officer on their grounds. That might not be the case next fall at the Edmonds-Woodway, Lynnwood, Meadowdale and Mountlake Terrace high schools that serve more than 6,000 Edmonds School District students.
Budget cuts have forced the district to consider dropping its school resource officer program, which would save $200,000 in next year’s budget. It is among $6.7 million in budget reductions that Superintendent Nick Brossoit is proposing to the school board.
“These are tough times,” said Ken Limon, an assistant superintendent. “I have met with all of the jurisdictions. This is coming at a time when they are struggling to meet their budget goals as well.”
The Lakewood School District north of Marysville also is considering eliminating its school resource officer to save money. It’s looking for ways to cut $813,000.
“It’s one of those unfortunate things,” said Superintendent Dennis Haddock. “We are trying to stay away from the classroom as much as we possibly can.”
Sheriff John Lovick said officers make a big difference on high school campuses.
“Eliminating the school resource officer will put a lot of pressure on the staff in those schools to deal with difficult and dangerous situations that the resource officer could handle routinely,” he said.
If the school positions are eliminated, the deputies would be reassigned, said Rebecca Hover, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.
Nationally, law enforcement officers have been assigned to schools since the 1960s. Their presence grew dramatically following a series of school shootings in the late 1990s
Most local school districts sign contracts with cities and Snohomish County that split the cost of having an officer assigned to their campuses. Lakewood plans to buy video surveillance equipment with money collected from a technology levy. It also could contract with a security company or hire someone who is not an officer.
Limon, an assistant superintendent in Edmonds, said the law enforcement officers are highly valued and part of a long list of proposed cuts that are “things we once regarded as essential.”
Lynnwood High School Principal Dave Golden said he likes having a law enforcement officer assigned to the campus.
“The human interaction they are able to have with kids is just invaluable,” he said. “The good thing about Rebecca is she interacts with tons of students every day in a variety of ways.”
Bryan Johnson, a Lynnwood High senior, said Lewis’ presence “makes you feel comfortable.”
“I talk to her every day,” said Eric Miramontes, a junior. “It makes my day.”
Lewis, who was an assistant basketball coach in her first year at the school, believes the school resource officer position is important for large high schools.
“I would hate to be the one making the decision about what to cut,” said Lewis, who has previously worked on patrol and as a detective. “I just don’t think this should be an option.”
The Arlington School District considered cutting its share of the cost of providing police service at Arlington High School a year ago when it faced a $3.8 million budget cut.
“Our city stepped up (and) chose to fully fund the SRO position, at least through 2010,” said Misti Gilman, a school district spokeswoman.
The Everett School District has police officers assigned to each of its high schools and that will not change next year.
Marysville will open a second large high school next fall and both campuses will have police officers.
Keeping a police presence at the high schools turned out to be a high priority in community surveys taken in Lake Stevens and Stanwood this spring.
“It was way more than 50 percent saying, ‘Don’t cut it,’” said Gary Platt, the Stanwood School District’s finance director.
“They have made such a positive impact in our schools,” said Arlene Hulten, a Lake Stevens School District spokeswoman. “Part of the value is the relationship building with the kids.”
Granite Falls has not had a police officer assigned to the high school for many years.
“The police department is very responsive for us,” said Kathy Grant, a school district spokeswoman. “That can be a benefit of a small school in a small town.”
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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