PHOENIX, Sept. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Off Duty Management is working with Arizona Department of Education to help place armed police officers in schools, called School Safety Officers, to supplement Arizona’s School Resource Officer program. This is proving to be a successful national model of a public-private partnership.
State schools superintendent Tom Horne has extended the Department of Education’s agreement with Off Duty Management through 2026 at multiple schools in six counties as part of Horne’s goal to make sure students, educators and staff are protected by armed and uniformed School Safety Officers.
Last October, Horne announced the partnership with Off Duty Management to facilitate the placement of armed, uniformed police officers in school campus officer positions despite an ongoing shortage of police officers in many communities.
Horne stated, “The safety of school campuses is a priority for my administration. If some armed maniac should try to invade a school, the most effective response is to have well-trained armed law enforcement officers to protect everyone on campus. Our partnership with Off Duty Management is a vital part of ensuring safety. It is proving to be a successful, effective public-private partnership and the first of its kind in the nation.”
Mike Kurtenbach, Arizona Department of Education’s Director of School Safety, added, “This agreement with Off Duty Management is a complement to the School Resource Officer program and illustrates how police officers who work as School Safety Officers also are trusted role models for students, which brings a sense of safety to the school campus.”
Off Duty Management was founded by former law enforcement officers designed to support law enforcement initiatives. The company works directly with local law enforcement agencies and school districts to fill vacant School Safety Officer positions. Off Duty Management’s OfficerTRAK® software and mobile app make it easy for officers to schedule an off-duty job opportunity as a School Safety Officer at various schools in participating Arizona school districts.
Kurtenbach added, “By working with law enforcement agencies utilizing the Off Duty Management solution, an off-duty officer from one jurisdiction can elect to work in a school within the jurisdiction of another law enforcement agency. With this innovation, an officer can be provided to a school even if the community where that school is located has a shortage of its own officers. Cross-jurisdictional sharing of resources makes perfect sense to use this strategy to protect children and others in schools. More than 700 officers are trained and eligible for School Safety Officer assignments in participating Arizona school districts.”
About Arizona Department of Education
Under the leadership of Superintendent Tom Horne, the Arizona Department of Education's mission is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents. For more information, visit https://www.azed.gov.
About Off Duty Management
Off Duty Management, headquartered in the greater Houston area, is dedicated to serving and safeguarding law enforcement agencies, officers, and community organizations by offering an innovative solution that manages all aspects of off-duty programs. In addition to full-service administration, the company’s proprietary software, OfficerTRAK®, and broad insurance coverage limits the risk associated with off-duty work. Off Duty Management provides all these components at no cost to the agency or officers. With a seasoned team of law enforcement professionals, Off Duty Management provides exceptional service to municipalities, schools, various other organizations and the largest law enforcement agencies using a third-party off-duty management company. For more information, visit www.offdutymanagement.com.
Media Contact:
Kristen Crawford
kcrawford@lukaspartners.com
