Police officers stationed in St. Paul's public schools have a desire to mentor students, and the more frequent their interactions, the more likely students are to view the officers favorably, a study shows.

The problem, though, is that the interactions are infrequent – and black, Hispanic and American Indian students in the state's second-largest district are less inclined than their white and Asian counterparts to go to their school resource officers (SROs) for help.

Those were among the findings presented to the St. Paul school board Tuesday night, and they had the added power of being delivered by students themselves. The project was the first to be conducted by a new student advisory group tasked with helping give students a voice in potentially weighty district matters.

The district intends to keep officers in its schools. But the findings from a survey and focus group sessions led by the student engagement group could lead to changes in the district's contract with the St. Paul Police Department, said Superintendent Valeria Silva, who commended the students for the quality of their report.

"I am speechless," she said.

The study topic was suggested to the student advisory team last year by the then-outgoing school board, and resulted in the advisory group circulating a survey that was completed by nearly 1,300 students and organizing focus group sessions that drew 84 students.

St. Paul now has nine SROs. Seven work in the high schools and two are "roving officers." The annual budget is $954,214, with the school district covering $854,214 and the city picking up $100,000.

Keith Eicher, a senior at Como Park Senior High who is a member of the student advisory team, told board members that the district should negotiate a deal with the city requiring the district to pay less. Then, the district could use the savings to hire more behavioral specialists or other staff members tending to school-climate issues, he said.

The student group also does not want to see students "criminalized" in the schools, Eicher said. It recommends that the district not refer students to police for possession of small amounts of drugs and that it use restorative justice practices when dealing with students who misbehave.

Marcelus Ifonlaja, a senior at Harding High, said some students are put off by the officers' "intimidating uniforms" and some also have a "fear of snitching," adding: "It is hard to confide in a police officer." He also noted, however, that positive relationships can be cultivated with SROs who are visible and active in the school community. At Johnson High, for example, Vern Simmons, the school's SRO, also is the head boys' basketball coach.

Eicher said that the group spoke with the current SROs and found "they are all very nice people" who have a desire to form bonds with students.

Board Member Steve Marchese suggested that the district's assistant superintendents could share with principals some of the group's ideas about how to make those connections possible.

The presentation came during a meeting in which the board once again heard plans to deal with discipline and behavioral issues. The district intends to create a task force to help with development of a long-term school-climate plan -- with recommendations to be presented to the board in September.

The district plans to tap the student advisory group as a partner in such efforts.