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Beaufort County to pilot Class 3 SRO training to staff elementary schools
Summary
County officials described a Class 3 School Resource Officer training program to be run locally over about eight weeks, approved by the South Carolina Training Council, aimed at attracting retired military and other candidates and placing officers in elementary schools by August with a starting pay noted at about $45,000.
County officials briefed Bluffton’s committee on a Beaufort County initiative to introduce a Class 3 School Resource Officer (SRO) training program that would be run locally to expand SRO coverage in elementary schools.
Presenters said the program creates a training syllabus for a Class 3 designation that can be delivered in approximately eight weeks within Beaufort County, avoiding the 12‑week academy requirement in Columbia for Class 1 certification. The South Carolina Training Council reviewed and approved the syllabus, and county leaders said the first class could begin in June so recruits would be ready for deployment by the start of the school year in August.
Officials said the program targets retirees (military, former teachers, retired law enforcement) who want a schedule aligned with the school day. The presenters cited a starting pay figure of about $45,000 and said benefits and retirement participation will be provided; they described training as local and collaborative across municipal and county agencies so new officers can form a support network.
County and city representatives said the program aims to fill SRO vacancies across Beaufort County, encouraging applicants to apply through city, county or sheriff’s office portals; members welcomed the plan and asked staff to post program information on municipal web pages and other channels.
