(a)

1. (1) A school district board of directors, or entity authorized to act on behalf of an open-enrollment public charter school, that accepts a school resource officer shall either enter into a memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction or adopt policies and procedures if the school district has an institutional police department, that govern the school resource officer.

2. (2) The MOU shall be based on the model MOU created by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute, and include without limitation the:

   1. (A) Financial responsibilities of each party;
   2. (B) Chain of command;
   3. (C) Process for the selection of school resource officers;
   4. (D) Process for the evaluation of school resource officers;
   5. (E) Training requirements for school resource officers; and
   6. (F) Roles and responsibilities of school resource officers, including without limitation:

(i) Clarification of the school resource officer’s involvement in student discipline;

1. (ii) The use of physical restraints or chemical sprays;

   1. (iii) The use of firearms on the public school campus or at school-sponsored events; and

      1. (iv) Making arrests on the public school campus or at school-sponsored events.
2. (3) The superintendent shall submit written verification, as required by the division, specifying the adoption of an MOU or policies and procedures as they pertain to school resource officers.

(b) A school resource officer assigned to a public school or open-enrollment public charter school campus during the instructional day or employed by a public school district shall complete:

1. (1) A forty-hour basic school resource officer training program, developed and provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute, within eighteen (18) months of being assigned or employed by the public school district;

2. (2) A training in youth mental health as required by the State Board of Education:

   1. (A) Within eighteen (18) months of being assigned or employed by the public school district; and
   2. (B) Once every four (4) years thereafter;

3. (3) A sixteen-hour school resource officer refresher training, developed and provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute:

   1. (A) Within five (5) years of receiving the initial basic school resource officer training described in subdivision (b)(1) of this section; and
   2. (B) Once every five (5) years thereafter; and

4. (4) Twelve (12) hours of public school-specific continuing education, developed and provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute, annually.

   1. (c) The forty-hour basic school resource officer training required by subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall address, without limitation:
5. (1) The roles and responsibilities of school resource officers in public schools;
6. (2) Laws that are specific to public schools and students in public schools; and

7. (3) Adolescent behavior and development.

   1. (d) The youth mental health training required by subdivision (b)(2) of this section and the school resource officer refresher training required by subdivision (b)(3) of this section shall count towards the twelve (12) hours of public school-specific continuing education required by subdivision (b)(4) of this section for the years during which those trainings are completed.

(g) Public school district personnel directly responsible for supervising a school resource officer shall complete a one-hour school resource officer roles and responsibilities training, developed and provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute:

1. (1) Within one (1) year of accepting or employing the school resource officer; and
2. (2) Every two (2) years thereafter.

(h) Training provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute and received by a licensed educator under subsections (c) and (d) of this section may count toward the professional development required for renewal of an educator’s license by the division’s Rules Governing Professional Development, 6 CAR pt. 183.

1. (i)
2. (1) The Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute shall monitor compliance with the continuing education and training requirements required by law and this part.
3. (2) A public school district that enters into an agreement with a law enforcement agency for a school resource officer shall comply with requests for information from the Arkansas Center for School Safety of the Criminal Justice Institute or the division for purposes of ensuring compliance with applicable law or rules.
4. (3) A school resource officer who fails to complete any training required under this section shall be unable to serve as a school resource officer until the training required is complete.
5. (4) A school resource officer shall not be assigned to a public school district in which the superintendent, principal, or supervising personnel have not completed the training required.

(j)

1. (1) Each public school district shall provide to school resource officers, commissioned school security officers, and institutional law enforcement officers regular specialized training, including specific training on roles and responsibilities associated with each position.
2. (2) Responsibilities of school resource officers, commissioned school security officers, and institutional law enforcement officers shall not include involvement with student disciplinary action as defined in Arkansas Code § 6-18-501 et seq.