Item Coversheet

Action Item - 9.

Title: Contract with the Philadelphia Police Department for Enhanced School Safety Support ($544,800)

Board of Education Meeting Date:  1/26/2023

Action under consideration

 The Administration recommends that the Board of Education authorize The School District of Philadelphia, through the Superintendent or his designee, to execute and perform a contract, subject to funding, as follows: 

 With:
Philadelphia Police Department  

 Purpose: 
Approval of grant-funded contract with the Philadelphia Police Department for enhanced support of school safety
 Start date: 1/27/2023

 End date: 7/31/2024
 Compensation not to exceed: $544,800 
 Location: 
All Schools; Administrative Office(s)

 Renewal Options:  No

 Description:

Why is this contract needed? 

The Office of School Safety and Office of Student Support Services, in a collaborative application, received the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) School Mental Health & Safety and Security FY22-23 Grant. Under this grant, PCCD is providing funding for additional contracted support from the Philadelphia Police Department. A contract is required to engage the Police Department for this additional support. 

The Philadelphia Police Department is a strong partner with the School District in supporting safe, secure learning environments. PCCD grant funding will allow for enhanced support from the Police Department in four primary areas: 

  • The Philadelphia Police Department School Safety Zone program which provides increased police presence outside of schools and in school community corridors;  

  • Response to high-risk threats against school communities that require police response; 

  • Support at athletics and special events; and

  • Participation and support of Philadelphia Police Department personnel in active shooter response training. 

How is this work connected to the District’s plan to achieve Goals & Guardrails? 

The partnership between the School District and the Philadelphia Police Department supports Guardrail 1 – welcoming, safe, and supportive schools for all students.

How will the success of this contract be measured? 

Measures of success under this contract will include: percentage of athletics and special events in need of police support that received this support, number of police officers engaged in active shooter response training, number of high-risk threats that received police response support, and number of incidents within Police Department Safety Zones and response to these incidents.  

Was a larger community of District community members and/or stakeholders involved in this contract?

In applying for the PCCD School Mental Health & Safety and Security FY22-23 Grant it was a priority for the Office of School Safety to identify additional funding to allow an enhanced supports from the Philadelphia Police Department, on top of the existing significant supports that the Police Department provides to the School District. The School District students, staff, and families have shared that they too see additional, provocative action to support community and school safety as necessary. Safety concerns were identified as an area of focus in the Listening and Learning sessions conducted as part of Dr. Watlington’s transition process.



 Related resolution(s)/approval(s): 
November 17, 2022; No. 1
 Funding Source(s): 
PCCD School Mental Health & Safety and Security FY22-23 Grant

 Office Originating Request: Operations - School Safety