Wayne County approves three‑year student resource officer agreement, board funds majority of program

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Wayne County Board of Education to continue and expand the county—s student resource officer program for fiscal year 2025 26.

The agreement establishes coverage, hourly reimbursement rates and the parties—roles and responsibilities for deputies assigned to schools. County staff told the board the program is a three year contract and the county will provide the bulk of funding for the program in the current budget year.

County staff summarized the coverage plan included with the agreement: 12 full time SROs assigned to individual schools and joint assignments at pairs of schools (listed by staff as Greenwood Middle and Meadow Lane, Grantham Middle and Grantham Elementary, and Rosewood Middle and Rosewood Elementary). Additional rotating or contingent coverage was listed for other schools pending staffing and funding.

The county—s finance summary presented at the meeting showed a total program cost (before outside grants) of roughly $2.787 million and, after expected grant and school reimbursements, a net county cost of just over $2.0 million. County staff said the school system will contribute approximately $107,000; the board also included one-time additional funding in the recent budget to expand coverage. County staff acknowledged a calculation error in a slide shown during the meeting and corrected the figures on the record.

Sheriff—s Office representatives told the board that certifying an officer as an SRO requires training and staffing considerations; the sheriff said hiring and completing training can take up to two years before an officer is fully deployed as an SRO. The sheriff described SRO duties as broader than enforcement: officers serve as safety officers, mentors and part of the school—s response structure.

Commissioners and staff discussed gaps that might remain while the county hires and certifies new officers. Commissioners asked about partnerships and alternatives; one commissioner said the board had discussed a short pilot of a private vendor—s remote monitoring program (presented earlier to the board) to cover schools not yet assigned full time officers. County staff cautioned that remote systems require staff to monitor them and are not a direct replacement for a trained officer.

The board approved the MOU and the associated budget amendment by roll call; the clerk recorded the vote as unanimous.