Assemblyman Yoon Young-deok: "School Police Officer Deployment Nationwide Average Only 90.9%"

Each Police Officer Responsible for 11.8 Schools and 5,269 Students... Need to Establish Collaboration System Between Ministry of Education and National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Despite 10 years since the introduction of the ‘School Police Officer’ (SPO) system in 2012 to eradicate school violence, it has been revealed that the quota has still not been fully met.

According to the ‘National School Police Officer (SPO) Deployment Status’ data submitted by the National Police Agency to Representative Yoon Youngdeok (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Dongnamgap) on the 27th, the number of ‘School Police Officers’ at police stations nationwide was only 1,020 out of the quota of 1,122, with the deployment rate against the quota averaging 90.9% nationwide.

In Jeju, the deployment rate of ‘School Police Officers’ against the quota was only 66.7%, ranking the lowest nationwide.

The regions below the national average included Daejeon at 75%, Daegu 77.6%, Gyeongnam 79.5%, Chungnam 81.8%, Sejong 85.7%, Gwangju 86.2%, Ulsan 87.5%, Chungbuk 88.1%, Gyeongbuk 88.5%, and Gyeonggi 90.4%.

In Gyeonggi Province, the ‘School Police Officer’ rate at the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency was 93.3%, exceeding the national average, but the rate at the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency was only 82.5%.

Incheon 92.6%, Gangwon 94.8%, Busan 96.9%, and Jeonnam 98.6% recorded deployment rates above the national average, but the quota shortage still remains.

Only Seoul at 105.2% and Jeonbuk at 101.5% met the deployment rate against the quota.

The ratio of ‘School Police Officers’ to the number of elementary, middle, and high schools and students nationwide, who are in charge of school violence-related duties, is also at a very low level.

Representative Yoon analyzed, “Because the number of dedicated personnel is below the quota, the number of schools and students that one ‘School Police Officer’ must handle has increased.”

Looking at the ‘2021 Ministry of Education National Assembly Audit Report’ submitted by the Ministry of Education, the total number of elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide is 12,112, with 5,374,515 students.

The 1,020 personnel assigned as ‘School Police Officers’ are responsible for about 11.8 schools per person, and the number of students per officer is approximately 5,269.

Representative Yoon argued, “Because one School Police Officer is responsible for a large number of schools and students, it is difficult to perform an effective role in preventing and eradicating school violence.”

He added, “Recently, the Ministry of Education, National Police Agency, and the Pureunamu Foundation signed a business agreement to establish an ecosystem for preventing and responding to school violence,” emphasizing, “An active cooperative system must be established for the prevention and response to school violence.”

He also stated, “Active roles by the Ministry of Education and National Police Agency are necessary to secure the quota for School Police Officers,” adding, “Cooperation among the city and provincial autonomous police committees, the Ministry of Education, and education offices is also important following the implementation of the autonomous police system.”

Meanwhile, School Police Officers were introduced in 2012 under the School Violence Prevention Act and serve as police officers dedicated to school violence and youth guidance, handling counseling on school violence cases, guiding offending students, and protecting victimized students.