Community Relations Officer Position Being Reconsidered

Platteville School District leaders are reconsidering whether to employ an armed police officer within school buildings. School board members in November unanimously approved adding a sworn Platteville Police Department officer to the ranks of the district’s student support services team, which includes a psychologist, social worker and guidance counselors. An officer, Josh Stowe, has been designated as a Community Relations Officer. The position was proposed by Superintendent Jim Boebel, but attendees at a forum earlier this month indicated the presence of an armed officer in schools might dissuade children, and especially children of color, from establishing connections with that person. They explained that the presence of a weapon might signal to students the officer could punish them for misbehavior.