On Tuesday (May 26), Alexandria City Council was briefed on changes to the recently approved memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Alexandria Police Department and Alexandria City Public Schools.
As no action was required from City Council Tuesday, City Council members did not formally endorse the updated MOU approved earlier this month by the School Board. ACPS previously extended the 2023–2025 agreement while the city’s School Law Enforcement Partnership subcommittee, which is made up of members of City Council, the School Board and APD staff, finalized the new language.
The new language removed a proposal that would have designated school resource officers (SROs) as school officials, which would have allowed them to access student records. SROs are stationed at Alexandria City High School and the city’s middle schools.
Another change notes a requirement under Virginia code that principals report felonies to SROs but clarifies that possession of alcohol and possession of marijuana under one pound are not felonies.
A new section in the agreement says SROs will not ask students, staff, or employees their immigration status — reflecting a current APD policy.
Per the document, parental consent will be required for police questioning of students in non-urgent circumstances, although SROs won’t need parental permission to stop, question and interview ACPS students off-campus, “especially when timely information will help prevent injury, death or evidence destruction,” according to the MOU.
APD Assistant Chief Tina Laguna said that the new language maintains student privacy.
“During the process, a concern was raised regarding the designation of school resource officers as school officials,” Laguna said. “The concern was that this would give SROs too much authority and would also allow them access to unnecessary information of students, such as grades or school disciplinary information.”
Councilwoman Sandy Marks, who has two children attending ACPS, asked about the policy allowing SROs to stop students outside of school grounds.
“Are the relationships that are that are being built in the classroom setting leading to off-campus contact with students that is stopping crime?” Marks asked Laguna. “Or is this just sort of something that is in place in case it were necessary?”
Laguna said the language allows SROs to act as police officers off school grounds.
“It does not matter if they work in the schools — if they wear this uniform, that directive applies to all of us, myself, the chief, and everyone all the way down,” Laguna said.
The MOU’s off-campus policy is below.
SROs have the authority to question students who may have information about criminal activity on or off school property. As sworn law enforcement officers, SROs have authority to stop, question, interview, and take law enforcement action without prior authorization of the school administrator or contacting parents or legal guardians, especially when timely information will help prevent injury, death or evidence destruction. For all other non-exigent circumstances, when it becomes necessary for the SRO or law enforcement officer to interview a student on school premises, the school principal or their designee shall be contacted immediately. The investigation and questioning of students during school hours or at school events should be limited to situations where the investigation is related to suspected criminal activity related to the operation of or occurring at the school. The investigation and questioning of students for offenses not related to the operation of or occurring at the school should take place at school only when delay might result in danger to any person, destruction of evidence, or flight from the jurisdiction by the person suspected of a crime.
The MOU goes into effect on July 1 and expires on June 30, 2028.
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