Removing uniformed police officers from Chicago Public Schools had little effect on students’ and teachers’ perceptions of safety, according to a new report, published Wednesday.
The study used district-wide data from 2014-2015 and 2022-2023 to examine the difference in outcomes between schools that removed SROs and those that continued to employ them. It is based on qualitative responses from annual CPS surveys and includes all district-run high schools, excluding charter schools.
School resource officers will officially be removed from all of the remaining schools by June 30, according to CPS, and the board’s decision to remove all SROs and implement the “Whole School Safety Program” in all schools is expected to be codified at the Chicago Board of Education’s July 25 meeting.
“I think it reinforced one of our key perspectives, which is removing police officers is not something that’s happening in a vacuum,” said Jadine Chou, the district’s chief of safety and security. “It’s happening in light of other resources and plans that are going in place.” The U. of C. study is the first part of a larger research study that plans to analyze broader safety goals. Forthcoming research will analyze additional safety measures, particularly how schools who chose to remove their SROs spent the additional funding they received to improve safety in their schools.
Kaczocha had previously lobbied against SROs at Mather High School, and began to speak in support of removing SROs at Kenwood when her son transferred there.A Chicago police officer observes dismissal at the end of the school day at Roberto Clemente High School on Sept. 14, 2015.