Litchfield School District Approves Agreement to Maintain Full-Time School Resource Officer

Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board Meeting | April 21, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board of Education formally approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Litchfield, ensuring the district retains a full-time School Resource Officer for the 2026-2027 academic year.

School Resource Officer Agreement Key Points:

• The district will pay $25,387.20 to cover 90 days of the SRO’s employment, while the City of Litchfield covers the remainder of the salary and benefits.

• The Memorandum of Understanding runs from April 21, 2026, through May 28, 2027.

• Officer Lucas Ostendorf will remain in the position.

• Funding for the district’s portion is historically tied to Title IV grants, though general funds will be utilized if grant funding falls short.

The Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board of Education on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, voted unanimously to finalize a shared-cost agreement with the City of Litchfield to maintain a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) in the district’s schools.

The Memorandum of Understanding formally designates Officer Lucas Ostendorf as the SRO for the 2026-2027 school year, aligning with action taken by the Litchfield City Council just days prior. Under the cost-sharing framework, the school district pays $282.08 per day for 90 days of employment—representing roughly half of the school year—amounting to $25,387.20. The City of Litchfield covers the remainder of the officer’s compensation and benefits.

Superintendent Dr. Kelly McClain highlighted the collaboration between the city and the district, emphasizing that the agreement prevents the SRO position from reverting to a part-time role.

“We are excited to bring forward this agreement with the city of Litchfield to provide a full-time school resource officer. We had been in discussions with the city administrator and the mayor to make this possible,” Dr. McClain told the board.

Historically, the district has utilized Title IV federal grant allocations to fund the position. While current grant figures have not been finalized, the district is committed to funding the role.

“We don’t know yet what our Title IV allocation will be, and we did not get approval for our other grant, so we will see what Title IV is, but we will make space for that SRO,” McClain added. “We are excited to have him, and I know the administrators and I will be sitting down with him as we make the transition from part-time back to full-time.”

The agreement dictates that when school is not in session, such as during observed holidays or summer break, Officer Ostendorf will serve in the regular police department rotation.