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Beaufort County leaders outline Class 3 SRO training to staff elementary schools
Summary
County law-enforcement and school officials described a locally run Class 3 School Resource Officer training program to certify officers in Beaufort County (about eight weeks of training), with an expected first class in June and starting pay near $45,000; officials said the program aims to place trained officers in elementary schools across municipalities.
County law-enforcement leaders told the committee and attendees that Beaufort County will pilot a Class 3 School Resource Officer (SRO) training program to be run locally rather than sending recruits to Columbia for the full academy. Officials said the locally run syllabus would be about eight weeks, allow trainees to remain in-county for training, and produce armed, Class 3 SROs with arrest powers assigned to schools.
Program mechanics and timeline: Officials said the training syllabus was submitted to the state academy and approved by the South Carolina Training Council and that organizers hope to begin the first class in June so officers are ready for the school year in August. The program would be a uniform, armed position with starting pay cited as about $45,000 and benefits and retirement.
Staffing needs and collaboration: County and municipal partners said they will pool applicants and that hiring could be flexible across jurisdictions — candidates could apply to a city, county, or sheriff's office and still serve as a County Class 3 SRO. Officials discussed outreach to recently retired military and teachers as likely candidates because the schedule aligns with school calendars.
Why it matters: County leaders said the program is intended to expand safety and mentoring capacity in elementary schools and to create a regional training network and peer support for officers assigned to schools.
Closing: Officials encouraged interested applicants to check agency websites and contact the listed offices; the county said it would publicly post application details and contact information for anyone interested in the training program.
