Sheriff presents state grant awards to fund bilingual school resource officer, patrol deputy and court security

Sheriff Heath Speckman told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners during a work session that his office has won state grant awards to fund a bilingual school resource officer (SRO) and an additional patrol deputy — both positions the sheriff said are part of a multi-year staffing plan.

Speckman said the grants begin April 1 and are one-year, up-front awards intended to help agencies address law-enforcement staffing shortages. "They both start April 1 and we have exposure to use these funds," he said. He told commissioners the grants provide a starter package that covers hiring, equipment and training.

Speckman described the sheriff's long-range staffing goal and the office's trajectory since he was appointed, saying the department once operated with only three deputies. "When I was first appointed... we had 3 deputies. And to match each 1 of those deputies, also walked into, 3 lawsuits," he said, recounting the office's administrative and operational challenges he inherited and the need to build a stable team.

Staff said the grants are not reimbursable and do not require a local match. "Is it up front or is it reimbursable?" a commissioner asked. "It's up front," a county staff member confirmed. The sheriff's office submitted detailed line items for equipment — including vests, training, firearms, body-worn cameras and uniforms — and included a modest allocation for administrative time to track grant activity.

On the SRO, Speckman said the county and the school district have met repeatedly and formed a committee to design a role the schools will help shape. He said the grant emphasizes a bilingual officer, adding that the position is intended to foster positive relationships between students and law enforcement and to be responsive to safety concerns. "This person would be particularly, I mean, specifically bilingual," Speckman said, noting demographics in the school population.

Commissioners pressed staff on sustainability. The grants are one-year awards; staff and the sheriff said they plan to include the positions in the county's 2026 budget if the trial year shows value. "So the question is, do we want to hire these people and then take off? If it works, we want to keep them on," a commissioner said; Speckman and finance staff said long-range budgeting work is underway to make the positions sustainable if the county chooses to continue funding them.

Speckman emphasized data collection and rebuilding trust as part of the strategy for stronger policing outcomes: improved dispatch data entry, more proactive community engagement and the ability to measure call volume and response. He said the sheriff's office has increased reporting and is working to normalize call volumes so the department can plan staffing needs based on calls and officer-safety considerations rather than solely on population ratios.

A commissioner raised concerns about SRO programs nationally — including the risk of escalating school interactions — and asked about trauma-informed training. A sheriff's office administrative staff member said the grant includes basic and advanced SRO training: the basic course covers digital safety, human trafficking, mental health and substance abuse and de-escalation; the advanced course focuses on expanding the SRO's law-enforcement, counseling and educational roles.

Speckman also noted a pending court-security grant application that could fund a court-security position and that upgrades to building access and courtroom security are being discussed as part of the facilities renovation planning.

Ending

Sheriff Speckman and county staff asked the board to accept the grant awards and directed staff to bring the proposed staffing and budget impacts into the county’s 2026 budget process for long-term decision-making.