Image overlooking the New England's tallest clock tower and Library Park in Downtown Waterbury, Connecticut.
Photographed by Derek Ward Photography
CONNECT
CONNECT
MOUs Across Connecticut
Crafting Memorandums of Understanding between Law Enforcement Agencies and Regional and Local Boards of Education that Center the Needs of Connecticut Children and Communities
Every Connecticut school with a police officer on campus has a written agreement — called a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU — that is supposed to spell out how that officer will work with students and staff. The Leever Foundation funded Connecticut Voices for Children and the Yale Law School Youth Justice Project to conduct the first-ever statewide analysis of these agreements, examining their strengths and identifying critical gaps.
Why This Research Matters
School Resource Officers, or SROs, have been a regular part of many Connecticut schools since the late 1990s. Research shows that schools with SROs report significantly more student arrests and referrals to law enforcement than schools without them — and these impacts fall disproportionately on students of color.
Clear, transparent MOUs between school districts and police departments can reduce the misuse of SROs, protect student rights, and improve relationships between officers, school staff, and the school community. This research was conducted to honor progress toward greater transparency in law enforcement and to provide school districts with a practical tool for updating their MOUs in line with P.A. 23-167.
About The MOUs Across Connecticut Report
Connecticut Voices for Children, in partnership with the Yale Law School Youth Justice Project, searched for MOUs from every Connecticut school district known to have a School Resource Officer. They analyzed 49 MOUs, measuring each one against Connecticut state law, federal guidelines, recommendations from national organizations, and standards from neighboring states. The research looked at six areas: officer training, officer duties, hiring and oversight, data collection and reporting, student rights and diversion, and whether MOUs are accessible to the public. Throughout the report, strong examples from districts that do this well are highlighted so others can learn from them. A companion report takes a closer look at Waterbury specifically.
This report intends to help school districts create and implement MOUs that are child- and community-centered, clear, transparent, and help to build a strong partnership between districts and police departments.
MOUs Across Connecticut
Connecticut Voices for Children
November 2024
Key Findings
Only
18%
of MOUs require officers to have any SRO-specific training before they interact with students.
Only
8%
of MOUs require schools to notify parents or guardians when an officer has interacted with their child.
Only
1
MOU in the entire state includes provisions for community input — beyond school leadership — in the selection of a School Resource Officer.
Only
6%
of MOUs require officers to get permission from a parent or guardian before questioning a student under the age of 16, even though Connecticut law says statements made without that permission cannot be used in court.
Only
41%
of MOUs were publicly posted on school district websites, even though state law requires it.
Follow us on Instagram
( C ) 2026 Leever Foundation based in Waterbury, CT | Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions
Website Designed by CNCO