In a bid to reform school security measures, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are negotiating with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 to allow civilians to work part-time security roles.

This comes as the district prepares to phase out its school resource officer (SRO) program by the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year following discussions about the larger presence of police in schools.

SEIU Local 73, representing CPS support personnel, recently proposed a memorandum of understanding to waive a contractual stipulation mandating that CPS hire police officers in part-time security roles.

Eric Bailey, a spokesperson for the union, confirmed that the proposal aims to allow the district to hire civilians for these positions immediately.

The move also comes after several lawsuits this year regarding the use of force by school police while making arrests on campuses.

The memorandum awaits a response from CPS, with the district assessing the financial terms outlined.

“SEIU Local 73 is committed to having security officers who are focused on providing care and safety for students,” Bailey said. “The union is prepared to waive all sworn officer requirements in terms of job description as well as the requirement to be able to effectuate arrests. By lifting this requirement, we believe CPS will be better able to fill part-time security roles and improve safety in our schools.”

Bailey told the Chicago Tribune that the proposed memorandum does not alter wage rates but eliminates the requirement for part-time security candidates to have the legal authority to make arrests, which has been in place since at least 2018.

The district’s overarching five-year contract with SEIU, which expired in June, covered support personnel roles, including crossing guards, special education classroom assistants and bus aides, in addition to part-time security officers.

Currently, CPS employs 62 part-time security officers, with a vacancy rate of 38 percent, according to Bailey.

Regarding the specific issue of part-time security officers, CPS Security Chief Jadine Chou acknowledged at a June board meeting that while full-time security officers are civilians, part-time security officers are currently sworn Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers.

Chou further indicated ongoing collaboration with SEIU to remove the mandate requiring only police officers in these roles.

However, a recent job listing on the CPS website for a “part-time security officer (off-duty police)” still maintains the requirement of being an “active, sworn Chicago police officer,” as of February 12.

The listing describes the position’s role as “the first line of defense to defuse and de-escalate student misconduct and/or serious incidents.”

The negotiation between CPS and SEIU comes amidst broader discussions surrounding the future of policing in Chicago schools.

The decision to phase out the SRO program, initiated after racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, has been met with controversy.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office refrained from commenting directly on the ongoing negotiations but reiterated the importance of student safety in school communities.

Meanwhile, a forthcoming resolution at the Board of Education meeting on February 14 and subsequent community engagement aims to shape a new Whole School Safety policy that addresses school safety.

However, Chicago school police are concerned about the ideologically driven school board, which supports defunding police.