LYNNWOOD—The ACCESS Project has teamed up with Jaguars Community to restore the School Resource Officers to local schools throughout South County.
Since the ACCESS Project began in 2022 about eight youths have been killed in South County.
Research estimates each homicide costs the taxpayer $2.1 million, meaning these eight homicides cost an estimated $16.8 million to the public, not including the cost of the perpetrators or the victims’ families.
What’s more, since the Edmonds School District retired its School Resource Program in 2020, the need for them has never been greater, according to school data reports.
At Meadowdale High School, Meadowdale Middle School, and College Place Middle School case reports have increased 85.71%, calls for service have increased 17.2%, and arrests have increased 100% since retiring the School Resource Officer program.
The largest increases occurred at the middle school level. At Meadowdale Middle School, case reports increased by 283%, Calls for service increased by 118%, and arrests increased by 200% since 2020. At College Place Middle School, arrests increased from 0 to 3.
One youth shooting took place as recently as March of this year, near Meadowdale High School’s baseball fields. In the wake of that shooting ACCESS Project Founder Wally Webster II received many calls from parents expressing fears and concerns about letting their children go to school, he said Wednesday as he addressed the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon and meeting at Alderwood’s Fogo de Chao.
The ACCESS Project partnered with fellow Lynnwood-based nonprofit Jaguar Community to see if they could take a more proactive approach to restore the SRO program, by establishing a petition which currently has 63 verified signatures (at least 1,000 is encouraged).
Jaguars Community mirrors the ACCESS Project in that it provides free youth programs that build confidence, connection, and community in Lynnwood. From free sports, mentorship, and service events so every kid has a place to grow, play, and belong – no barriers, no tryouts, no fees. It was founded by Lynnwood-based McCoy Home Solutions Founder Aaron MacCoy who, with his wife Marie, a Behavior Health Consultant, launched the nonprofit in 2025.
“[Youth violence] is an issue that’s very dear to me and my community,” said Maria McCoy. “What we’re seeing in our schools is this overall huge increase in behavioral health needs, which is grief, depression, anxiety. We’re all seeing this in our own lives and in our children’s lives. It’s affected the schools and how they’re able to teach. And because of all these issues there’s more family conflict.”
Jaguars Community was a natural fit for the ACCESS Project, who’s purpose is to identify youth who are having behavioral and mental health challenges, and get them the help they need before their behavior escalates to violence.
Reinstating the SRO program is part of a broader, balanced safety strategy for Edmonds School District – one that includes prevention, relationship-building, accountability, mental health support, and coordinated intervention for students and staff.
The proposition is for a pilot program that would span one year, which would only focus on certain schools. Within that year the program would gauge community feedback, student parent input, regular reports to the board, and a one-year review.
“You can sign a petition to help us communicate to the school board that this is a grave community concern. The safety issues in the schools have increased in every category since the SRO program terminated,” said Wally Webster II.
The Edmonds School District discontinued its School Resource Officer program in 2020 amid a surge of protests critical of law enforcement’s community role.
The new, redesigned SRO program proposed by the ACCESS Project and Jaguars Community, respectively, would, according to the nonprofits:
- Help protect students and staff in times of threat, crises, and emergencies
- Build constructive and trusted relationships between students and law enforcement
- Support prevention, early intervention, and de-escalation
- Partner with counselors, administrators, behavioral health professionals, and community organizations
- Clearly separate routine schools discipline from law enforcement responsibilities
- Require training in adolescent development, trauma enforced practices, cultural responsiveness, and conflict de-escalation
- And operate under clear policies, measurable standards, transparency, and accountability
“We would like to get them reinstated, to have a School Resource Officer back in the schools to help support the kiddos who are in need of some extra supervision, some extra guidance. Not in a punitive way or in a lens that’s focused on criminal justice system involvement, but more so helping the school staff, the teachers, counselors guide these kids and reduce these behaviors before they get out of control,” said MacCoy.
You can sign the ACCESS Project petition by clicking this link.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
