A Milwaukee County judge has issued a decisive ruling ordering Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and the City of Milwaukee to place school resource officers (SROs) in schools within 10 days, warning of sanctions if they fail to comply. The ruling follows legal action from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) on behalf of a Milwaukee parent who argued that the absence of officers put students at risk.
Judge David Borowski did not hold back in his ruling, criticizing MPS and city officials for their repeated delays and legal maneuvering to avoid compliance. “The order was to do it. Not to negotiate to do it. MPS clearly thinks they are above the law,” Borowski stated during the hearing.
The dispute stems from Wisconsin Act 12, passed in 2023, which mandated that MPS ensure at least 25 SROs were stationed in district schools during school hours by January 1, 2024. However, more than a year later, MPS and the city had yet to implement the requirement, citing disagreements over funding. Borowski’s ruling settles the financial debate by requiring both parties to split the estimated $1.6 million annual cost evenly.
WILL Associate Counsel Lauren Greuel called the ruling a necessary intervention, stating, “It should have never come to this, and we are pleased to see the judge act so definitively to move us closer to a resolution. Now is the time for MPS to end the excuses and delays and follow the law by taking basic steps to protect kids going to school.”
MPS initially resisted placing officers in schools but later claimed it was waiting for the City of Milwaukee to provide them. Meanwhile, city officials argued it was not their responsibility to fund the program. The back-and-forth led to months of inaction, despite mounting concerns over student safety.
The legal battle escalated in October when Milwaukee parent Charlene Abughrin sued MPS, saying her children had been repeatedly victimized in the absence of school officers. “I’m pretty satisfied with the judge’s decision,” Abughrin said after the ruling. “MPS basically forced his hand and left him no choice, and I think what he did was awesome.”
Borowski made it clear that the delays must end, warning that if officers are not placed in schools within the next 10 days, both MPS and the City of Milwaukee will face contempt of court charges. “This ongoing violation of state law, this flaunting of legal and court authority will end,” the judge declared.
Following the ruling, MPS issued a statement confirming it is ready to comply, saying, “Milwaukee Public Schools remains ready to implement a School Resource Officer program as soon as officers are made available to the district.”
The ruling marks a significant win for school safety advocates and a blow to MPS leaders who resisted state-mandated security measures. With the court’s deadline looming, all eyes are on whether MPS and the city will follow through—or face legal consequences.