Port Orange approves school resource officer agreement with Volusia County School Board

The Port Orange City Council approved an agreement June 10 to provide two sworn Port Orange officers to serve as school resource officers in local middle and high schools, with the Volusia County School Board reimbursing half of on-campus time.

Councilman Edward Green raised concerns before the vote about cost and staffing, saying the city would pay “$76,150 per year plus the expenses of an officer, which is gonna be 2 cars, uniforms, etcetera,” and asking how the department would cover patrol needs when officers are assigned to schools.

The council’s vote follows a presentation by Manny Marino, chief of police, who told the council the agreement would replace school resource deputies from the sheriff’s office with Port Orange officers at the middle schools and high schools. Chief Marino said the county reimbursement mirrors what the sheriff’s office receives and “that 76,000 is for the 2 officers.” He described SRO duties as beyond simple security: “School resource officer is responsible for investigating all of those [threat] calls,” and he said SROs have “full policing power. That means they can arrest somebody.”

Marino explained the reimbursement covers about half of the roughly 180 school days the officers would be on campus and said each officer’s on-campus pay “equates about $30.38 and change per officer,” a figure he gave during council discussion. He also said Port Orange would be the last municipality in Volusia County to place municipal officers in its schools: “we are the last municipality of Volusia County to not have school resource officers in our own schools.”

Council members asked about training and coverage. Marino said certification as an SRO can require up to six months of specialized training and that the department currently has five officers with that training who could cover short-term absences: “If it's a 1 day thing or 2 days … any officer can go over there just for the safety of [the school].” He added that when school is out officers may return to patrol or cover other duties and that departments typically schedule training during summer breaks to avoid pulling officers off campus midterm.

Council members who supported the agreement argued municipal officers provide continuity and closer relationships with students. One council member said moving to municipal SROs would allow “our officers to be there interacting” with students from an early age and that municipal SROs could build long-term rapport. Opponents emphasized budget pressure ahead of the annual city budget process and questioned whether the expense should be the school board’s responsibility.

The clerk recorded a roll-call vote after public comment; individual votes were recorded on the record. The council approved the agreement and directed implementation steps be coordinated by the city manager and police department.

The agreement requires additional operational steps, including scheduling, training and equipment purchases. The council discussion noted the school board will reimburse the city for half the on-campus time; other costs such as vehicles and uniform replacement were identified as the city's responsibility. City staff said they would return to council or provide budget details as needed.

Supporters and critics urged ongoing oversight of coverage, overtime and community impacts. Council members said they expect staff to report on implementation, training timelines and how officers will be reassigned when schools are not in session.