SISD board votes to end ties with Socorro Police
EL PASO, Texas- In a 4-3 vote last week, the Socorro Independent School District board has put an end to their "memorandum of understanding" (MOU) or agreement with the Socorro Police Department.
At the May 17 board meeting, the SISD new superintendent, Dr. Nate Carman, brought up the MOU, saying the relationship with them and the Socorro PD should end.
"My recommendation is that we pull out of this agreement we give our notice, I think which requires 60 days to the city of Socorro." said Carman.
The agreement was formed about two years ago, getting the district and police department to work together on various projects.
SISD officers would get eight hours per month of training under high-stress situation that might emerge on campus, and it opened a direct communication channel with SPD in case of an emergency in any of the schools.
Socorro PD in exchange, could also request the assistance of SISD officers for certain search warrants. Help which they called for twice during the existence of the agreement.
Carman argued the liability of any action inflected by a police officer from SISD when assisting the city's police department would fall on the district, hence potentially rising the possibility of getting sued.
SISD Board Vice President Pablo Barrera who voted to terminate the MOU asked the board members at the meeting;
"If one of the officers go out after working hours and they assist the city of Socorro with the high risk search warrant, our officer shoots an innocent person guess who's liable? We are."
The three board members that voted against ending ties with the police department of Socorro claimed this would generate extra steps to be taken to call for help in case of an emergency, like an active shooter situation.
"I think it is a bigger help to our district for additional safety measures to have additional people respond if we were to need it." Said Cynthia Najera who voted against terminating the MOU.
The same three board members added that this MOU provides extra training to their own district's police department and would lose that too.
