Litchfield City Council Approves Full-Time School Resource Officer Agreement with School District #12

Litchfield City Council Meeting | April 16, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 to maintain a full-time School Resource Officer, reinforcing school safety and fostering positive relationships between students and law enforcement.

School Resource Officer Agreement Key Points:

• The City of Litchfield and School District #12 will share the costs of the SRO, with the district paying $282.08 per day for 90 days, totaling $24,823.04 (calculated at $25,387.20 in the final packet details).

• Officer Lucas Ostendorf will continue serving in the role full-time, avoiding a proposed shift to a part-time capacity.

• Montgomery County State’s Attorney Brian Shaw emphasized the critical role of SROs in providing a safe avenue for students to report abuse and seek help.

• The agreement mandates compliance with “Faith’s Law” and outlines strict protocols for student interviews and records confidentiality.

The Litchfield City Council on Thursday, April 16, 2026, voted unanimously to authorize a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Education of the Litchfield Community Unit School District #12, securing a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) for the 2026-2027 academic year.

The agreement prevents the SRO position from being reduced to a part-time role, a prospect that had drawn deep concern from local officials. Under the cost-sharing agreement detailed in the agenda packet, the school district will pay the city $282.08 per day of employment at 90 days, totaling $25,387.20. The city will cover the remainder of the officer’s salary, and Officer Lucas Ostendorf will continue in the role.

Alderman Holloway, who championed the agreement, spoke passionately about the necessity of the position in the current social climate.

“When I first found out that… the resource officer was moving to more of a part-time role, I reached out immediately to the city administrator and expressed my concern,” Holloway said. “Our children deserve the right to go to school in a comfortable environment and feel protected… I want our youth to be comfortable with law enforcement.”

Montgomery County State’s Attorney Brian Shaw, a Litchfield resident, attended the meeting to offer his perspective on the multifaceted value of an SRO. Drawing on decades of experience as a prosecutor handling crimes against children, Shaw explained that the officer’s role extends far beyond physical security.

“The role that I see as a school resource officer is twofold. It’s not just the physical safety, but it’s also having somebody to have a connection with,” Shaw said. “Maybe if they’re having a problem at home, maybe if they are having a problem in the community, they have somebody that they can talk to because Lucas is a safe person.”

Shaw highlighted a recent local case where a student’s comfort in reporting abuse to school and law enforcement personnel resulted in a 25-year prison sentence for the perpetrator. “It wouldn’t have happened without a child being comfortable coming and talking to members of the school district, but also members of law enforcement,” he added.

Mayor Jacob Fleming praised the school district for their collaborative approach to finalizing the agreement.

“A lot of people think of a police officer in schools, they’re thinking of the typical police officer role,” Mayor Fleming said. “You can’t just be an SRO officer. You have to get special training just like teachers to be around kids… Seeing a police officer at the football game, at the school daily, kind of breaks those barriers.”

The approved Memorandum of Understanding outlines stringent guidelines for the SRO, including compliance with Faith’s Law regarding criminal background checks, specific protocols for student interviews and searches, and the protection of confidential student records under the Illinois School Student Records Act.