News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cumberland County will now have SROs in all 12 schools across the county.
Emergency funding approved by the County Commission will hire school resource officers to be placed in four elementary schools.
Sheriff Casey Cox said the need to “fast track” the hiring of SROs was obvious after recent school shootings across the country.
“When you are looking at a school resource officer, it’s not just a guy with a gun at a school for protection. That SRO is so much more than that,” Cox said. “They are more like a mentor and the vetting process to select an SRO is more stringent than an actual patrol deputy that we initially hire on because they have the ability to impact these kids at a very early age.”
Cox said one SRO has already started working at South Cumberland Elementary. The other three should begin work sometime in May at Pleasant View, Stone, and Pine View.
Training for the new SROs will take place this summer.
“Obviously children are near and dear to our heart and a precious resource to us,” Cox said. “A child should get to go to schools and feel safe and a teacher should go to school and know that they can tech their class and feel safe doing that.”
The first year funding for the SROs came in at nearly $252,000.
