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School board picks ‘status quo’ SRO plan after review of three contract scenarios
Summary
Marion County School Board directed staff to proceed with Scenario 1 — continuing use of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police and Belleview Police SROs — while asking staff to negotiate details and report back, after a cost and operations briefing on three options for the 2025–28 school resource officer contract.
The Marion County School Board directed staff to pursue Scenario 1 for school resource officer (SRO) coverage — keeping the current arrangement with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police Department and Belleview Police Department — after a presentation comparing three contract scenarios and their costs.
Board members said keeping officers assigned by all three agencies preserves community relationships and continuity for students and staff while the board examines cost and equity issues.
Mister McFadden, a district staff member who presented the cost scenarios, told the board the 2022–25 contract had involved 40 MCSO SROs, 21 Ocala Police Department SROs and 1 Belleview officer and that total SRO costs under that contract were roughly $4.9 million. For the 2025–28 options he presented: keeping the current mix…
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