GLENDALE, AZ — Five Glendale police officers will serve full-time as school resource officers at high schools in the Deer Valley and Peoria Unified School Districts during the 2026-27 school year, funded entirely by a state school safety grant worth an estimated $850,000.
The Arizona State Board of Education approved the FY27 School Safety Program Year 1 grant awards on June 22, 2026. The grant covers 100% of each officer's salary and benefits for the one-year term of the agreements, eliminating any cost to the City of Glendale.
Under the funding, Deer Valley Unified School District will pay an estimated $340,051.48 for two officers assigned to Deer Valley High School and Mountain Ridge High School.
Peoria Unified School District will pay an estimated $510,077.22 for three officers at Cactus High School, Ironwood High School, and Raymond S. Kellis High School. Each officer's salary and benefits are estimated at $170,025.74, prorated for the 10-month school year.
The Glendale City Council approved amendments to the intergovernmental agreements with both school districts. The resolutions were presented by Police Chief Colby Brandt.
Previously, the city covered 75% of each officer's salary and benefits, with the school districts contributing the remaining 25%. Officer Forrest Flanagan, a Glendale police officer for more than 18 years, said being stationed full-time at a school makes a meaningful difference in how he builds trust with students.
"Everybody just kind of knows me. I'm always smiling. I just have that personality where I'm always happy, so kids generally just come up and talk to me," Flanagin said.
Flanagin said that familiarity helps prevent problems before they escalate.
"You more or less prevent things from happening because, you know, if word gets out that there might be a fight or something that happens, you know, outside of school, you hear about things because you know the kids," Flanagin said.
Sgt. Don LaBrant, who oversees the SRO program for the Glendale Police Department, said the role extends beyond law enforcement.
"I won't say friend; we'll call it mentorship and role model. Someone that the kids can look up to or ask advice that they can't ask necessarily from their parent," LaBrant said.
LaBrant said the grant also introduces new requirements, including daily documentation and classroom instruction from a list of 56 state-approved topics, such as vaping, truancy, and driving.
"What this grant will do, or how it'll change the job, is there'll be a little more documentation," LaBrant said.
The grant covers SRO services through May 2027.
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