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Knox County Board approves School Resource Officer agreement with Roa School District
Summary
The board approved an agreement to place a School Resource Officer in the Roa School District, with operating costs split 75% to the district and 25% to the county; the contract requires deputies to meet experience and certification standards and was approved on a roll‑call vote with two 'no' votes.
The Knox County Board voted on Nov. 25 to approve an intergovernmental agreement to assign a School Resource Officer (SRO) to the Roa School District.
Member Kramer presented the agreement, explaining that the district would reimburse the county monthly for 75% of program expenses (pay, benefits and documented program costs) while the county would cover the remaining 25%. The district also will pay 25% of vehicle cost and equipment per year. The agreement specifies that participating deputies must have at least three years of law‑enforcement experience, undergo required SRO certification and serve multi‑year assignments (the contract contemplates a start date of Dec. 1, 2024, if approved).
School leaders who spoke during public comment—including Zach Bender, Scott Lake and Dr. James Dunlap—testified to the SRO’s role in safety, prevention and relationship‑building with students. Board members asked about selection, mileage and budgetary impacts; officials said deputies will be county sheriff’s deputies selected through an interview process with the district and sheriff.
On a roll‑call vote the agreement passed; the clerk recorded two votes in opposition and the motion carried.
The agreement had been approved earlier by the Roa school board and will require monthly reimbursements from the district to the county once the SRO is assigned.
