Decatur ISD is gearing up to dramatically shrink its school resource officer (SRO) ranks for the 2026 school year, stepping away from the model of having a full-time officer at every campus. The scaling back will significantly reduce the district’s on-site police presence starting in fall 2026, with word of the shift surfacing in local coverage on May 20.
That update first appeared today in a Facebook post from the Wise County Messenger. According to the Messenger’s summary, the district plans to move away from the one-officer-per-campus setup and cut SRO staffing by more than half for the 2026–27 school year. The newspaper’s post linked out to its broader local reporting on the change.
What Changed And What Was In Place
Up to now, Decatur ISD and the city have leaned on SROs as full-time, on-campus officers. The Decatur Police Department’s SRO page notes that each officer "provides full-time police service to their respective campus," according to the City of Decatur. That one-officer-per-building approach has been a defining piece of the district’s security setup in recent years.
Budget And Bond Context
Earlier this year, the district’s bond planning included money tagged for safety and security work, part of a broader package that local coverage said would be presented to voters, as reported by Hoodline. With the SRO cuts now on the table, trustees and administrators are weighing those long-term construction and security projects against recurring operating costs such as law-enforcement staffing as they piece together the next budget.
What The Change Means For Schools
SROs wear several hats on campus, from law enforcement to classroom presentations, relationship building, and emergency response. The city’s SRO description lays out those instructional and safety duties, while state law spells out specific powers SROs can use in school settings. With fewer officers stationed on-site, response times and who responds to certain incidents could shift in practical ways that students, families, and staff will likely notice day to day.
Next Steps
The school board and district leaders are expected to finalize staffing levels and the overall budget through their standard board and budget cycle. Meeting agendas and backup documents are posted on the district’s public meetings portal at Decatur ISD Meetings. Parents and community members who want specific numbers and implementation timelines will need to keep an eye on upcoming agendas or reach out directly to the district’s communications office.
Legal Details
Under Texas law, a school administrator, SRO, or district peace officer can refuse entry to or eject a person who poses a substantial risk of harm, or who behaves inappropriately after being given a warning. Those rules are laid out in Texas Education Code Section 37.105, and districts are required to post information about that process online. That framework helps define how SRO authority works on campus. For the statutory language itself, see the Texas statutes on Section 37.105.
