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Seymour board approves creation of second school security officer position at high school
Summary
The Board approved creating and filling a second school security officer position for Seymour High School after the SRO left; members discussed funding, MOU limits, and possible executive-session follow-up with the police chief.
The Seymour Board of Education approved creation of a second school security officer position at Seymour High School after the district lost its school resource officer (SRO) to a police‑department promotion.
Superintendent Barbara Compton told the board the district currently has one security officer and that its SRO position is vacant because the police department promoted the prior SRO. Compton asked the board to approve creating a second district security‑officer position to be filled immediately using existing district funds. "We no longer have an SRO…we just need your blessing to create another school security officer with the same salary as we did at the beginning of the year," Compton said.
Board members asked whether the memorandum of understanding with the police department gives the district authority to place an SRO at a specific school. The superintendent said placement is under the jurisdiction of the police chief and that the chief currently prefers to keep an SRO at the middle school. Board members said the district cannot force the police department to reassign an SRO and therefore creating a second security‑officer position is the practical step.
Board members also discussed funding. Compton said the position would be filled from existing budget funds and noted the district would pick up roughly $40,000 in costs that previously were borne by the police department for an SRO.
A motion to approve hiring a second school security officer at Seymour High School was made and seconded; the board took the vote and approved the motion. Trustees asked the superintendent to invite the police chief to a future meeting for a confidential discussion about safety planning; board members said some security‑plan topics may need executive‑session treatment to avoid revealing operational details.
The board directed staff to begin the hiring process and to coordinate with the police chief and district security director on any operational or legal issues related to SRO placement and safety planning.
