Town deputies take up residence at DHS

Posted on: Dec 20, 2018

An innovative arrangement between Delano Public Schools and the Wright County Sheriff’s Office has led to an increased deputy presence on campus during and outside of regular school hours.

The sheriff’s office contracts with the city of Delano to provide police services, and this fall the deputies assigned to Delano moved their office location from the Delano fire hall to the high school.

“We have always had an excellent working relationship with the Wright County Sheriff’s Office,” said Delano Superintendent Matt Schoen. “This partnership further exemplifies the willingness of the school district, the city and the county sheriff’s department to work together to maintain the safest learning environment for our schools.”

The idea to base town deputies in the school, augmenting the full-time presence of School Resource Office Shane Hegarty, originated in conversations among Hegarty, district leaders and outside safety consultants last year. The city was “completely supportive of the idea in the spirit of school safety,” Schoen said, as were law enforcement leaders.

“The Wright County Sheriff’s Office welcomes new and innovative ways to address school safety in this ever-changing climate regarding school violence,” said Hegarty and SRO supervisor Sgt. Eric Leander in a joint statement. “The new office provides an additional layer of protection for staff and students.”

While deputies are often out on patrol, the office gives them a place to write reports, print documents, organize evidence, handle digital media and case files, meet with other area deputies and take breaks. Marked patrol vehicles parked outside create a more visible law enforcement presence, and the office is available for deputies 24 hours a day, giving the school campus additional coverage during evening events and overnight hours.

Additional benefits include more frequent positive contact between officers and students, which helps build familiarity and trust. The presence of deputies also allows for reduced response time to on-campus incidents, and for closer cooperation between the SRO and patrol officers.

“The new office comes at no additional expense and is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Hegarty and Leander. “To our knowledge, there is nothing within the state achieving this level of cooperation between school, law enforcement and city.”

Schoen confirmed that there was no additional cost to the district, and that the arrangement, as far as is known, is unique in Minnesota. Interest from other districts and agencies has been substantial, however, and the model of cooperation could spread.

“Delano has done a lot of things over the last school year that a lot of school districts are copying,” Leander told visitors at a recent listening session held by the Delano School Board. “I’ve had several superintendents and principals say, ‘Why didn’t we think of this sooner?’ … I’ve had phone calls asking how we’re doing it and how they can do it. It is attracting statewide attention.”