CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Albemarle County Public Schools and the Albemarle County Police Department released last week their finalized School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding detailing the roles, responsibilities and limitations on the police officers working in the county’s three high schools.

“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to keeping schools safe, welcoming, and inclusive for every student,” read an email sent to ACPS families last week. “The updated MOU is based on input gathered through meetings, community conversations, engagement sessions, and a division wide SRO Program Family Survey held last spring. Families and community members told us they want schools that are safe and supportive-places where officers are visible, approachable, and respectful.”

The county said that feedback showed the community wanted “a clear separation between school discipline and law enforcement duties,” along with specialized training for SROs.

In 2025, the school division expanded its SRO program so that each of its three high schools has an officer working in it and a fourth, floating officer is available to fill-in and support the other three. The MOU is required by Virginia law when instituting an SRO program.

The document lays out the responsibilities of both the schools and the police department, and outlines best practices for communication and operation of the program.

The email emphasized that “SROs are law enforcement officers who support safety and emergency response. They do not handle routine discipline.”

“There’s definitely a distinction between criminal law and laws he can enforce, versus administrative rules and regulations that the schools have,” ACPD Lt. David Rhodes told Cville Right Now in September. “We don’t get involved in enforcing any of those rules.”

The email also pointed out the specialized training required for police officers to become SROs, including “state certification and ongoing training in mental health awareness, de-escalation, disability awareness, cultural understanding, and bias prevention.”

With ongoing community concern about possible ICE actions within public schools, the email also noted that ACPD is not involved in enforcing immigration policies.

“ACPD has no legal authority to enforce federal immigration laws and is not responsible for immigration detention orders,” the email said. “ACPD also does not ask about the immigration status of victims and witnesses, including ACPS students and families.”

Officer Chaka Joiner is at Monticello High School, officer Ray Lilly is at Western Albemarle and officer Jamie Kwiecinski is back for a second year in Albemarle High.

Officer Laura Proffitt will be a floating SRO, working primarily in the division’s middle schools.