The St. Charles police department is likely to continue its hands-on and close-eyes approach toward the city’s schools.

The city is eying a three-year extension of both the school resource officer program and the security camera access policy between the police and St. Charles School District 303.

The extension would continue the program that currently situates four school resource officers, one apiece, at four different district schools. The officers are currently located at St. Charles North High School, St. Charles East High School, Thompson Middle School, and Wredling Middle School.

The extension, effective from July 1 through June 30, 2029, was supported by all the city’s alderpersons during the April 6 committee of the whole meeting. The agreement still needs final City Council approval.

During the meeting, Police Chief Dan Likens said the agreement is mostly consistent as the one currently in practice with updates for the cost of the officers.

“There is a little bit of change in the language based on some public acts and laws that were changed over the last couple years about requirements of the school resource officer and some of the training mandates that are required,” Likens said.

The overall program costs $518,686 with an annual base wage per officer of $129,733. By 2028-2029, the program’s costs will increase to $574,104 with an annual base wage of $138,302.

For 2026-2027, the contribution to the police pension per officer is $27,114. By 2028-2029, it increases to $30,426.

The extension also includes a reciprocal reporting agreement and a camera usage agreement.

The security camera access agreement extends the police’s ability to access real-time video and recorded footage and images from the schools. The accessible cameras are currently located both inside and on the exterior of the schools. The agreement does not permit the police to access cameras from inside school buses.

Likens said police are only able to access the cameras under specific and special circumstances.

“There has to be a bona fide emergency or a reason, it (also) has to be auditable,” Likens said.

The specific circumstances enabling the police to access the cameras include during emergency calls, and incidents with potential imminent threat to bodily harm or to school district property, according to city documents.

Under the agreement, the police may also access the cameras via request of the district superintendent, for police investigative purposes, or for police training.