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RSU 04 board authorizes superintendent to sign SRO contract with Androscoggin County
Summary
The RSU 04 School Board unanimously authorized the superintendent to sign a contract with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office to provide a school resource deputy for the 2025–26 school year after an overview from Sheriff Eric Sampson and discussion of hiring and supervision practices.
The RSU 04 School Board voted unanimously to authorize the superintendent to sign an agreement with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office to provide law enforcement services for the 2025–26 school year.
The vote followed a presentation and Q&A with County Sheriff Eric Sampson, who described the position as a traditional school resource officer and said the county “employs deputies. So in effect, you'd be employing a deputy, but they're always referred to as SROs because that's what everybody knows.” Sampson said the deputy would come equipped with the vehicle, mobile terminal and necessary equipment and that the sheriff’s office seeks to include the superintendent in the hiring process.
Board members asked about supervision and evaluation. Sampson said SROs are evaluated through the sheriff’s office chain of command and that communication typically runs through the chief deputy or major; he also described a practice of involving the superintendent’s office in hiring and noted a probationary period for new hires. He summarized staffing and deployment practices used in other regional districts and said the sheriff’s office would coordinate with neighboring counties if student or family issues crossed jurisdictional lines.
After discussion, the board moved and seconded the authorization and took a voice vote. The chair called for those in favor and recorded the vote as unanimous.
The contract authorizes the superintendent to execute the agreement with the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office for a school resource deputy for the 2025–26 school year; the board did not record individual roll-call votes in the minutes. The transcript shows board members and the sheriff discussing logistics, candidate pools, probationary periods (six months for new hires; transfers may have abbreviated probation; academy graduates may have a one-year probation per law enforcement practice), and school visits by deputies.
Board members asked whether the deputy would work year-round and whether a full-time summer position was intended; the sheriff confirmed staffing plans would be included as part of the hiring and scheduling process.
The board’s action authorizes the superintendent to finalize the agreement so recruitment and hiring can proceed.
The superintendent and the sheriff’s office will now begin advertisement and interview scheduling, with the superintendent’s office to be involved in screening candidates.
