Signed by Governor Phil Bryant

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes a grant to fund School Resource Officers in primary and secondary schools, effective July 1, 2013.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) grant program, to provide funding to assist law enforcement agencies in providing additional School Resource Officers to police the grounds of primary and secondary schools (Sec. 1).

• Requires the MCOPS program to meet certain standards, including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):
• Requires an incentive for law enforcement agencies to build collaborative partnerships with the school community and to use community policing efforts to combat school violence;
• Requires a maximum state contribution of up to $10,000 per officer position over the 1 year grant period with local funds matching on a 50/50 basis;
• Requires the additional School Resource Officers to devote at least 75 percent of their time to work in and around primary schools; and
• Requires all agencies receiving awards through the MCOPS program to participate in training at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy.

• Authorizes a public school district to develop a plan for the security of its students, faculty, and administration if the public school district is financially unable to participate in the MCOPS program (Sec. 2). 

Full Bill Text