{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-158.4415","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 158.4415","heading":"Kentucky State Police school resource officer (KSPSRO), specifications","body":"for employment as a school resource officer by a school district -- When officer\nconsidered an employee of the school district and when an employee of the\nKentucky State Police -- Duties and prohibited activities -- Funding of position\n-- Rights, privileges, immunities, and matters of defense protected.\n(1) A KSPSRO shall possess sworn law enforcement authority and shall be trained in\nschool-based policing and crisis response including all training required of school\nresource officers. If a school district decides to utilize a KSPSRO, the school\ndistrict and the officer shall first enter into a memorandum of understanding that\nclarifies the purpose of the KSPSRO program and the  roles and expectations of the\nparticipating entities. Any contract entered into pursuant to this subsection shall\ninclude:\n(a) A provision specifying that the KSPSRO shall follow the policies and\nprocedures of the Department of Kentucky State Police and s hall abide by\nfederal, state, and local laws. The responsibility and decision to arrest or take\nother police action lies solely with the KSPSRO, respective to state law and\nthe KSPSRO's departmental standard operating procedures or standing order.\nThe KSPSRO's continual collaboration with school personnel and his or her\nunderstanding of each student's needs may impact the decision to arrest or\ntake other police action, but the responsibility is that of the KSPSRO;\n(b) A provision stipulating that the KSPSRO  shall be an employee of the school\ndistrict, but shall revert to Department of Kentucky State Police employee\nstatus during such time that the KSPSRO takes police action pursuant to state\nor federal law. The KSPSRO shall be under the immediate supervision  and\ndirection of the Department of Kentucky State Police when taking police\naction;\n(c) A provision stipulating that the school district shall be responsible for\nworker's compensation coverage for the KSPSRO; and\n(d) A provision detailing how liability co verage will be provided for any acts or\nomissions of the KSPSRO within the scope of his or her duties.\n(2) (a) A KSPSRO shall promote the safety and security of students and school\npersonnel during school activities and on school property.\n(b) A KSPSRO may assist with supportive activities and programs, including but\nnot limited to:\n1. Planning and implementing procedures that train and drill all school\npersonnel to respond to crisis events, control access to the school\nproperty during the school day, and c lose or partially close the school\nproperty after students arrive;\n2. Identifying risk and protective factors of students; and\n3. Coordinating nurturing intervention and prevention efforts.\n(c) A KSPSRO shall not address school discipline issues that do not constitute\ncrimes or that do not impact the immediate health or safety of the students or\nschool personnel.\n(d) A KSPSRO shall not administer formal school discipline such as detentions,\nsuspensions, or expulsions. These decisions are the sole responsibility of\nschool personnel.\n(3) Notwithstanding KRS Chapter 11A, the KSPSRO shall wear the uniform and utilize\nthe vehicles, firearms, ammunition, and equipment issued to him or her by the\nDepartment of Kentucky State Police or other agency -authorized clothing or\nequipment. In the event additional weapons or gear is utilized than that which is\ncarried on his or her person, the storage of these items shall be defined by the\nDepartment of Kentucky St ate Police. If a vehicle or equipment is damaged during\nthe scope of a KSPSRO's secondary employment with the school district, but not\nwhile the KSPSRO is engaged in police action, the school district is responsible for\nrestitution to the Department of Kentucky State Police.\n(4) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, a KSPSRO shall be deemed an\nemployee of the Department of Kentucky State Police for all purposes whenever\nengaged in any police action, including arrests, searches and seizures, uses o f force,\nissuing citations, serving warrants, pursuing suspects, or investigating criminal\noffenses or vehicle accidents.\n(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the Department of Kentucky\nState Police to assign or provide funding for KSPSROs.\n(6) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to waive or otherwise limit the rights,\nprivileges, immunities, and matters of defense, now available or hereafter made\navailable, to school districts, the Department of Kentucky State Police, any local\nlaw enforcement agency, any KSPSRO, or any school resource officer in any suit\nbrought against them in consequence of acts or omissions.","path":["KRS Chapter 158"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=48566","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:05Z","sha256":"b2f9c58096378f543255e5f6a6fd2b916ca80a566bb1b38e2be5c0452f30fa53","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-158.4414","next":"us-ky/krs-158.4416"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}