CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – On Tuesday evening, city school administrators, parents, students and community stakeholders gathered at Trailblazer Elementary school on 14th street SW to discuss the school board’s decision to return School Resource (Police) Officers to City Schools.  The meeting was part of a an ongoing series of community dialogue meetings called “Can I talk to you Cville” which is sponsored by the Charlottesville Inclusive Media project.  Over a hundred people gathered and filled the auditorium to ask questions and make comments toward a panel of school board members, administrators and personnel.  The panel took advantage of the opportunity to carefully lay out the rationale for why the division believes returning officers to the schools is the best plan moving forward.  However, it is a move that will require a significant investment from the city government.  According to CPD Chief Michael Kochis, the price tag for four officers will be approximately $800,000 dollars.  ” We have been working with a focus group to put together an MOU                      ( Memorandum of Understanding) that focus group has been very robust, there’s been stakeholders there’s community stakeholders, members of the schoolboard, principals…” Kochis told WINA Morning News.  “We’re entering into the budget process now, if its going to be four officers, I need four officers …to hire one officer for the first year is about $200,000 dollars.  You know that’s everything, every license that they have to have comes from software, axon, their bodycam stuff, all different licenses, the cruiser, just equipment, training, everything…”  Kochis went on to say that the city council will need to approve the appropriation to hire the officers.

Meanwhile on Tuesday night, citizens gathered to express their feelings about their concerns, previous challenges and desire for safety in the schools.  The event was moderated by local media members Charles Lewis ( host of the In My Humble Opinion Radio Show) and Sarad Davenport ( Vinegar Hill Magazine).  Both moderators believe the event afforded the community a chance to come together and honestly express themselves on the topic.  ” I think it was a great opportunity for parents to express themselves in a way and make their opinions clear, I think it was a step forward for the transition that needs to happen.  I think there are going to be more conversations, I don’t think last night was a resolution. I think Charles said that a lot last night, there might not be resolution with people’s issues or their thoughts about everything but it is a step forward because people were able to express themselves and I think the school system was clear about not only the timeline but also kinda the rationale and intricacies of the decision that was made.”  Davenport told WINA Morning News.  Charles Lewis, the other moderator had similar observations. ” You don’t always agree, so how you receive it is sort of a personal thing and we did see a lot of that where um if an answer was given but maybe it wasn’t acceptable or maybe you weren’t ready to receive the answer it still doesn’t change the fact that that’s the answer.”  Both Lewis and Davenport are sure there will be more conversations and they were encouraged by how attendees remained after the forum was over to continue the dialogue.