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Faulkner County forwards ordinance to fund SRO for Mount Vernon and Noah School District to budget committee
Summary
Faulkner County officials voted to send Ordinance 25-23, a proposal to fund a school resource officer for Mount Vernon and Noah School District, to the county's budget and finance committee. The sheriff's office will fund the position and Deputy Debbie Sullivan will provide on-site training.
Faulkner County officials voted to forward Ordinance 25-23, a proposal to fund a school resource officer (SRO) for Mount Vernon and Noah School District, to the county budget and finance committee.
The measure was presented as a referral for further review; a board member moved to forward the ordinance and the motion carried on a voice vote with those present saying "aye." No second or roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript.
The sheriff's office will fund the SRO position, the chief told the meeting. The chief said existing staff will train the new officer: "Debbie Sullivan, who's already a certified SRO, she will be training," and that training classes to certify SROs are usually held in the summer months when school is out. The chief said deputies typically spend about nine months to complete academy-related requirements before assignment to SRO duties.
Officials discussed logistics for covering two campuses. The chief said the district uses two campuses about 10 minutes apart and that Deputy Debbie Sullivan would split time to provide on-campus training and oversight while a hire gets established.
The chief also said the county will seek an officer who is already a certified law enforcement officer where possible: "We'll be pulling somebody that's already a certified law enforcement officer, so they can actually get to work and know have a common knowledge of the duties," and that if no internal candidate is available the county will hire from outside.
The referral sends the ordinance to budget and finance for fiscal review and any recommended changes; the transcript did not include a timetable for that committee's consideration or further votes on the ordinance.
Next steps recorded in the meeting: the ordinance (25-23) will be reviewed by the budget and finance committee; no effective date, staffing start date, compensation level, or detailed budget source beyond the sheriff's office funding were specified in the recorded discussion.
