Georgetown will keep school resource officer as police report rising incidents and recruitment shortfalls

At the May 27 Georgetown Town Council meeting, Chief Holmes, Georgetown’s chief of police, told the council the town will continue to keep its school resource officer (SRO) in place for the coming school year even after the Indian River School District declined to provide funding.

The decision follows a police report that showed a recent surge in calls for service and staffing pressures. “We are gonna continue to have, Officer Melas in the schools serving as the SRO regardless of funding,” Chief Holmes said. He also said the town begins the budget year facing “a $82,000 deficit” tied to the loss of district funding for the position and estimated that the total annual cost for the SRO position—including vehicle and overtime—was about $105,000.

The chief told the council the department handled roughly 1,499 incidents from March 21 through May 25 and that workload has increased year over year. He reported specific recent figures: two robberies (one arrest), 92 assaults…