Normal Police and Unit 5 have entered into a memorandum of understanding for the police department to add two school resource officers so that each of district’s junior highs will have a full-time officer. (WJBC file photo)

By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Unit 5 and Normal Police are teaming up to beef up security at the district’s four junior high schools, and to build stronger relationships between officers and kids.

The school board Wednesday night adopted a memorandum of understanding in which the police department agrees to assign two more school resource officers to work at the junior highs.

That means there will be a full-time resource officer at Evans, Chiddix, Kingsley, and Parkside Junior Highs.

In turn, the school district will pay between 50 percent and 75 percent of the officers’ salaries and fringe benefits.

Until now, there were officers who floated from one school to another. Superintendent Mark Daniel said those officers weren’t able to build the same relationships with students as the officer who worked all the time at Evans Junior High.

“We are excited about this opportunity and thank the Town of Normal for working with us,” said Daniel.

Unit 5 and NPD have full-time officers assigned at the two high schools, Normal Community and Normal West.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]