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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConstituent Letter - Mail Packet - 6/23/2020 - Letter From Laurie Klith, Executive Director For The Center For Family Outreach, Re: Support Letter For School Resource Officers (Sros)From: Laurie Klith <LaurieK@tcffo.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:26 AM To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com> Cc: Jeff Swoboda <JSwoboda@fcgov.com> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support letter for SROs City Council Leaders, I am attaching a letter from the Center for Family Outreach and its board of directors in full support of the SRO Program. We felt it was important that our voice be heard as we work with these officers every day. As social workers, we see daily what officers do in keeping in keeping the community safe. Thank you for the opportunity to submit a letter of support for them as they truly pay a critical role in our community. Laurie Klith Executive Director Pronouns: she/her/hers The Center for Family Outreach 212 W. Mountain Ave Fort Collins, CO 80521 Laurie Klith (970) 698-7262 Board of Directors Kendra Johnson PRESIDENT Avie Strand PAST PRESIDENT Cindy DeGroot VICE PRESIDENT Patty Seaser SECRETARY Irene Josey TREASURER Larry Abrahamson COMMUNITY MEMBER Carrie Baumgart MARKLEY MOTORS Todd Benson INDEPENDENT BANK Charlie Carter THOMPSON SCHOOL DISTRICT Sean Dougherty RE/MAX REAL ESTATE Kristin Draper POUDRE RIVER PUBLIC LIBRARY Elizabeth Garcia WOODWARD Gail Goodman LIGGETT, JOHNSON & GOODMAN, P.C Jennifer Kelly KELLER WILLIAMS Laurie Klith EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sabrina Nowling FLOOD & PETERSON Tom List POUDRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Mike Natalzia POLICE OFFICER - FORT COLLINS Jim O'Neill EYEOPENERS KIWANIS CLUB Nicole Weesner THE LAW OFFICES OF BEHLER, WEENSER, & MCELROY, LLC Ryan Wulff POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT June 8, 2020 In Reference To: Fort Collins Police Services and Larimer County Sheriff’s Department, School Resource Program To Poudre School District Board of Education Directors, As I reflect on all of the tragedies that have occurred around the world in the past few weeks, I am trying to understand and listen to all perspectives. As we come together as a community, we need to uphold our common values surrounding youth and their families. I have been the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Family Outreach, a local non-profit agency, for 20 years now and have seen many changes during that time. We provide education, prevention, and early intervention services and programming for ages 8 to 18 and their families. Our goal has always been to provide preventive programming and services, which deter young people from entering the juvenile justice system. School Resource Officers assess the needs of youth and families in our community and make Board of Directors Kendra Johnson PRESIDENT Avie Strand PAST PRESIDENT Cindy DeGroot VICE PRESIDENT Patty Seaser SECRETARY Irene Josey TREASURER Larry Abrahamson COMMUNITY MEMBER Carrie Baumgart MARKLEY MOTORS Todd Benson INDEPENDENT BANK Charlie Carter THOMPSON SCHOOL DISTRICT Sean Dougherty RE/MAX REAL ESTATE Kristin Draper POUDRE RIVER PUBLIC LIBRARY Elizabeth Garcia WOODWARD Gail Goodman LIGGETT, JOHNSON & GOODMAN, P.C Jennifer Kelly KELLER WILLIAMS Laurie Klith EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sabrina Nowling FLOOD & PETERSON Tom List POUDRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Mike Natalzia POLICE OFFICER - FORT COLLINS Jim O'Neill EYEOPENERS KIWANIS CLUB Nicole Weesner THE LAW OFFICES OF BEHLER, WEENSER, & MCELROY, LLC Ryan Wulff POUDRE SCHOOL DISTRICT As a non-profit agency Director who has worked in this community for 32 years, we will always support our School Resource Officers. Together our common values are aligned for betterment of children and their families. As community partners, we promote, foster, and contribute to the healthy development and growth of all teens and their families through education, support and advocacy. Together we provide an environment that encourages social and individual growth, and development of our youth. By making a referral, the SRO’s provide the youth an opportunity to learn coping and life skills, to make healthy decisions free of drugs and alcohol, and to be safe and supported when life becomes difficult. The Center for Family Outreach, School Resource Officers, and all above-mentioned entities will continue to support one another to be the best we can be. We understand that communities must work together in order to provide affordable mental health and behavioral services, access to substance use treatment, academic support in school, parental support, and prosocial activities. Larimer County is a very educated and caring community. We recognize that we all need to change our attitudes, belief systems, and justice reform in order to better listen and learn from one another. Every individual must commit to working through these uncomfortable conversations in order to understand different perceptions, beliefs and dreams. I would like to suggest a task force of stakeholders that represents all facets of the community. This task force will discuss all possible outcomes while evaluating our differences in order to embrace all opportunities for future generations to come. Respectfully submitted, Laurie Klith Executive Director, The Center for Family Outreach referrals to various agencies based on those needs. It is the referrals from SRO’s that create collaborative relationships with The Center for Family Outreach, other non-profit agencies, juvenile justice professionals, diversion programming, school districts and faith communities. In my experience as an Executive Director, I believe the SRO’s are such an incredible asset to our schools and communities. For example, when a young person is struggling with thoughts of suicide, they continue to build trusting relationships with the young person, and are able to support him or her by assessing the level of suicide risk. If necessary, the SRO’s will transport that youth to a nearby crisis center for further evaluation and support. In addition, I have had many positive experiences where the SRO’s have chosen not to write a summons and instead made a referral to our agency so the families can receive individual/family therapy, education, and/or early intervention services. The FCPS/LCSO officers are coaches in our schools, participate in school activities, and instruct classes for youth and parents. In addition, SRO’S are liaisons with multiple community task forces, find solutions for community issues, and train youth and school professionals on how to keep our community safe. The School Resource Officers get to know the families in our community and which may need financial assistance due to a variety of reasons. They can refer to The Center and other agencies to find services that have little to no financial burden. In addition, many of our young people have gained trusting relationships with the SRO’s and speak with high regards about the Officers in their school.