Jefferson County Board and Fairbury Schools working on school resource officer plan
Fairbury Public Schools is getting closer to having a school resource officer.
By News Channel NebraskaFAIRBURY, NE — Fairbury Public Schools is getting closer to having a school resource officer (SRO).
The Jefferson County Commissioners, the county sheriff and school superintendent Stephen Grizzle discussed the basics of an agreement during the county board meeting on Tuesday.
Grizzle says an SRO could help with school safety.
“Whether it’s just the presence or whether it’s helping us identify different procedures or strategies that we might employ during the school day that might help us,” Grizzle said.
Meridian and Tri County schools currently pay $12,000 a year to get an SRO from the sheriff’s office two days a week. The Fairbury SRO would be five days a week, so the commissioners suggested a $30,000 fee from the school district.
Grizzle says he thinks it would be worth the cost.
“Allowing the kids to get to know a law enforcement officer on a much more relaxed setting," Grizzle said. "It might benefit them in the future if they ever have to talk to an officer in a more relaxed setting.”
Grizzle says the school board could finalize the payment for an SRO at its next board meeting. The Sheriff’s Office is posting a job listing for the position today.