Friday, January 10, 2025
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Clay Sheriff: School Safety Grant Big

The Clay County Sheriff’s Department has received a grant from the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security to help the county acquire school resource officers.

Clay County Sheriff Brandon Boone said the grant gives $75,000 for each school within the county. Boone said he is thankful to get the grant again as last year he was not able to spend all the funding and had to send back an estimated $54,000.

“That was I guess me waiting till the last minute trying to make sure I was buying the right things and I just didn’t get it spent,” Boone said. “I was trying to be frugal about some things but we had to send the money back and I mean it’s their money to begin with.”

Boone said hopefully this year he will spend every dime and not have to send any funding back. Boone said this year a majority of the funding will go towards salaries, equipment, and patrol cars for school resource officers.

“I just actually purchased some used patrol cars for the SROs,” Boone said. “They are some newer models and I am in the process of getting them equipped right now. Last year I purchased a brand new one for one of the schools and so this year I just bought some used ones to finish the other three schools.”

Boone said the grant allows the county to spend money elsewhere.

“We are small and our revenue is limited here,” Boone said. “You know,  a population of about 7,700 people, and the tax dollars only go a certain length.”

Boone said nowadays equipment and patrol cars are essential for school resource officers to keep schools safe.

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