Seguin has authorized an application for up to $750,000 in federal funding to create six new School Resource Officer positions in Seguin ISD schools.
At its July 21 meeting, the Seguin City Council approved a resolution authorizing the City to apply for a federal grant that could help fund six additional School Resource Officers for Seguin Independent School District campuses.
The application will be submitted through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program. The program provides financial assistance to local law-enforcement agencies seeking to hire or rehire officers for community policing and crime-prevention efforts.
The City is requesting up to $750,000, or a maximum of $125,000 for each of the six proposed officers, over a three-year grant period. The positions would be new Seguin Police Department positions assigned to Seguin ISD schools.
How the Positions Would Be Funded
According to the City Council memorandum, the estimated salaries for the six officers would total approximately $1.31 million over three years, not including benefits.
The proposed federal funding would decrease during the grant period:
- Year 1: $375,000
- Year 2: $300,000
- Year 3: $75,000
Seguin ISD has provided a letter of support agreeing to contribute approximately $555,584.72 toward salary costs not covered by the grant. The City of Seguin would be responsible for the officers’ fringe benefits and other grant-matching obligations.
The City’s memorandum contains two different estimates for its benefit costs. One portion lists approximately $610,000, while another lists approximately $650,000 over the three-year period. That difference should be clarified before any final agreement is approved.
An Ongoing Financial Commitment
The federal grant would not eliminate the local cost of these positions. It would provide temporary, declining assistance while the City and school district assume a larger share of the expense.
The grant also requires the City to retain the six positions for at least 12 months after the three-year federal funding period ends. If the application is approved, the City and Seguin ISD would be required to formalize their respective financial responsibilities through a memorandum of understanding within 90 days of the grant award.
It is also important to understand that the Council’s action authorizes an application. It does not guarantee that Seguin will receive the grant or that the six positions have already been funded.
Better Seguin’s Perspective
Placing additional trained law-enforcement officers in local schools could provide meaningful benefits for students, teachers, staff and families. School Resource Officers can improve emergency response, strengthen relationships between young people and law enforcement, assist school administrators and provide a visible public-safety presence on campus.
This proposal represents a potentially valuable investment in school safety. At the same time, the City and Seguin ISD should provide the public with a clear long-term funding plan before the positions are created.
Residents deserve to know:
- How the positions will be funded after the federal grant ends.
- Whether Seguin ISD’s contribution will continue beyond the initial grant period.
- The final and accurate amount of the City’s benefit obligations.
Better Seguin supports responsible efforts to strengthen public safety. We also believe major ongoing personnel commitments should be accompanied by transparent cost projections, clearly defined responsibilities and a plan that can be sustained after temporary federal funding expires.