In 1975, only 1% of public schools had their own police officers. Today, 44% do. A large reason for the increase is the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which led to the creation of the federal Community Oriented Policing Services to oversee funds for the hiring of police in schools. Another reason is the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. From the federal government down to individual districts, the idea that schools need police officers to keep kids safe is prevalent.
However, research shows that police officers in schools don’t always prevent violence, including school shootings. In fact, their presence can harm students.
