By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Hundreds of Bothell High School students walked out May 18 in support of their school resource officer after the Northshore School District ended the officer contract.
• The district voted last week not to renew its annual contract with the city police for a sworn officer at the school, citing equity and safety concerns.
• Students and parents rallied around Officer Garrett Ware, who has served at Bothell High since 2017.
• A petition to reverse the board’s decision had gathered thousands of signatures by Monday.
• The board said it plans to increase campus supervisors and other safety measures in place of an SRO.
BOTHELL, WASH. — Several hundred Bothell High School students walked out of classes Monday in protest after the Northshore School District’s board voted last week to discontinue its contract for a sworn school resource officer at the campus.
The district has had a school resource officer stationed at Bothell High since 1994 under an annual agreement with the Bothell Police Department, but board members voted to end the contract following discussions about equitable policing and student safety.
Students and parents rallied in support of Officer Garrett Ware, the lone officer assigned to the high school since 2017, chanting and carrying signs urging the board to reverse its decision.
An online petition organized after the board’s May 12 vote had gathered nearly 4,000 signatures by Monday evening, reflecting community calls to retain the program.
District officials said the $103,000-a-year contract will end before the 2026-27 school year, and the district plans to assign a second campus supervisor and maintain proactive safety and security measures in lieu of a police officer.
Ware is expected to return to patrol duties with the Bothell Police Department beginning in June, and board members said they will continue monitoring community feedback as they implement alternative safety supports.