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Residents, village trustees urge Tularosa board to hire a certified school resource officer
Summary
Public commenters including a local police officer and two trustees asked the Tularosa School Board to prioritize hiring a commissioned, certified school resource officer rather than a security-guard-level hire, citing safety, mentorship and crisis-response benefits.
A police officer identified in the transcript as Martinez told the Tularosa School Board that the district should honor its prior agreement with the village to hire a commissioned, certified school resource officer (SRO) instead of filling the role at a security-guard level. Martinez said the intent had been for the school and village to split the cost and to place a fully empowered law-enforcement officer on campus.
"It's very important to have a school resource officer in the schools," Martinez said, adding that a guard posted under the state job category could not investigate criminal cases or make arrests. Martinez told the board a candidate with about 25 years of law-enforcement experience had been identified but that a posting on the state hiring site appeared to have been for a security-guard classification, not a commissioned officer.
Chris Ruff, who identified himself as a newly elected village trustee and a person with prior law-enforcement experience, urged the board to reinstate the SRO arrangement. "Having a school resource officer in our schools is not just a way of having a badge in the hallway. It's about building relationships, creating trust, and ensuring a safe learning environment," Ruff said, describing an active-shooter incident he responded to and arguing that an on-campus officer shortens response times.
Trustee Mark Garwin also spoke during public comment in favor of a highly trained, armed SRO. Garwin said protecting children was a motivating factor for his service on the trustee board and asked the board to "please reconsider" hiring a trained officer for campus safety.
Board members did not take a formal vote on policy at the meeting; the SRO matter was raised in public comment and will require staff follow-up for any budgetary or contract changes. During the meeting the board approved routine agenda items and asked staff to continue working through personnel and funding questions raised in public comment.
What happens next: The transcript shows community members and a village trustee asking the board to pursue a certified SRO arrangement and to clarify the classification and funding split. The board did not adopt a new policy or vote on staffing at this meeting; any change to the posting or funding would require administrative action and a future agenda item.
