by Krystal Paco

Guam - The island's five newly sworn-in school resource officers continue to wait it out before they can start their assignments at the island's public high schools. According to Judiciary of Guam director of policy planning and community relations Josh Tenorio, the memorandum of understanding is reason for the one-month delay.

"We've had standard operating procedures that have been a living document since October going between the department and the court, and those SOPs have been vetted. But it wasn't until sometime last month where the Department of Education wanted to put it into a memorandum of agreement form, but it wasn't required as a part of the project application initially. But whatever administrative things they want we're here to try to work it out so at this point we're waiting with them," he said.

Tenorio says the MOA was sent to U.S. Department of Education last week and expects SROs to begin their duties the day after it's approved. The SROs are intended to deter crime on campus as well as educate and mentor students. Despite heated controversy, they will not be armed while on school grounds.