Sheriff Dept. Paid Back Part Of SRO Grant

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department recently had to pay back part of a School Resource Officer grant due to a misunderstanding of how the funds could be used.

Sheriff Marty Hinson said his department did not know the grant limited how much money could be spent on each school in the county. Hinson said the department had to return some $25,000 to the state.

“So at the end of the year we found out that we had overspent in a couple of the schools,” Hinson said. “You can only spend $75,000 per school because that’s what you get. Doesn’t have anything to do with the total of the $300,000.”

Hinson said last year was the first year of the grant so the explanation his department received did not properly explain the restriction. Hinson said his department and the SROs in the county were not affected by having to pay the money back.

“It didn’t impact us any at all as far as that goes,” Hinson said. “But as far as county goes, that would be a question for someone higher up than me,” Hinson said.

Hinson said his department received the SRO grant again this year and is already using it throughout the county.

“We just have to watch a little closer at what we’re spending on each school as we spend it,” Hinson said. “‘Cause we have to keep a track of that and make sure we don’t go over that limit again.”