Save our SRO, Part 2

It seems that if we want to continue to assign a Baker City Police officer to work at the high school and middle school, we’re going to have to foot the bill with local dollars.

And this we should do.

The school resource officer program is a resounding success.

In 1998, the first year the city hired an SRO, the police department handled 620 juvenile crime cases.

The next year the number dropped to 343. In 2008 the total was 92.

Police Chief Wyn Lohner and Schools Superintendent Don Ulrey both want to keep the SRO.

But the school district, which for the past three years paid 65 percent of the annual $77,000 cost, cut the position from its budget for 2009-10. And the city did not receive a federal grant it applied for.

We suggested this winter that Baker County join the city and school district in dividing the cost three ways. Half a year later, we still think that’s the best idea.

But there’s little time to dally: Classes start Aug. 31.