Sumter County commissioners Tuesday night approved agreements with the county school district and The Villages Charter Schools to provide school resource officers.
Local governments have been struggling to implement a new state law requiring and funding the resource officers. The law was enacted in the wake of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
“Sumter County has come up with a very good solution,” said Commissioner Don Burgess. “I want to recognize our county administrator for bringing the parties together and solving the issue.”
The state will provide some funds to pay for the resource officers at each school, who could help prevent shootings and other incidents. The officers will be provided to nine schools.
Under the agreement, the county sheriff’s office will assign deputies to fill school resource officer positions. The officers will be paid by state funds, but shortfalls will be covered equally by the school district/charter schools and the county.
Resource officers will assist in exercises, drills, school safety planning, training, crime prevention, referral to other agencies and law enforcement interviews with students.
The officers will be chosen based on the makeup of each school, according to the agreement.
“A goal of each (officer) shall be to foster a positive image of law enforcement officers among young people,” the agreement states. “Therefore, the personality, grooming and communication skills of each (officer) are paramount.”
Schools are required to provide an office, a location for secured files and records, office furniture and access to a computer and the Internet.
The school district may request removal of any officer, who will be replaced. Sergeants who supervise the officers will be provided without cost to the schools.
Seventeen people were killed and 17 wounded in the Feb. 14 shootings at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. Nikolas Cruz, 19, was arrested for the shootings.
