Cumberland Co Asks Budget Committee To Add SROs

The Cumberland County Commissioners voted Monday night to work toward funding four new school resource officers.

Commissioners added the item to the agenda Monday in hopes of getting the process started toward hiring four SROs for the elementary schools in the county. Cumberland County currently funds four resource officers to work across eight schools.

After discussion, commissioners decided to send the item to the budget committee for funding.

“Our sheriff’s department has got to have officers if they’re moving officers into an SRO position, he’s got to have some ready for patrol as well,” Cumberland County Director Of Schools Janet Graham said. “So there’s a process to that so it’s not like something that can happen today. But I think they’re very interested in moving forward.”

Crossville voted last week to fund an additional SRO for the schools inside the city limits. The county’s cost to add four SROs estimated Monday night at about $350,000 in the first year with a recurring cost of about $200,000.

Graham said everyone in government, from commissioners to school system employees, focused on protecting schools.

“If you really stop and think about all that’s been happening in our country, I think it’s a realization that who could be next,” Graham said. “We are certainly not immune. Many of the school shootings in other parts of the country are people who are very much like us.”