More School Resource Officers in Citrus

​SROs are essential in protecting our students and staff

On February 14, 2018, a situation took place that those of us in education always fears and work to not happen— at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a senseless attack by not an outsider, but from one of their former students to place.  As a result, 17 lives were lost and countless inquiries some that may last for countless years.  Among the dead were 14 students and 3 teachers.

As a parent of a student in our high schools, as a husband of a teacher in our schools, and as a school board member in Citrus County, I strongly believe that our Citrus County Sheriff’s School Resource Officer Division is the most critical line of defense for our students and staff.

The Citrus County School Board and the Citrus Sheriff Office since the development of the Citrus School Resource program has worked tirelessly together to add and increase Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers (SROs) to our schools.  To that end currently we have one SRO at each middle and high school, and elementary schools share one SRO to two schools.  While not yet “one to one” (one SRO to one school), Citrus has lead most counties in the number of SROs to students.  Many counties had no SROs at elementary schools.  In order to provide one to one in Citrus, we would need to add between 5 or 6 additional SROs.  It was shared at our last school board meeting that may have an additional cost about $600,000.

Our schools should have at least SRO per Citrus school and once we have done that, we should look if we can increase to two SROs at the high schools, where we have 1,500 or more students per school. Now following the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida Governor Rick Scott has now proposed increasing SROs to one to one, but no funding has yet been recommended.

Increasing the number of SROs is not a new consideration for Citrus Schools it has been the goal of the School Board and Sheriff department.  Unfortunately, funding for school safety and security has been the struggle. Under Florida law, the Florida Legislature sets all the funding rates for public schools to operate, including and specifically for the safety and security of our schools. School Boards and Superintendents have continually asked for increased funding for Safety and Security.  Sadly, the legislature has funded School Safety and Security at the same level for almost 7 years, including this year’s Florida House budget, proposed, prior to the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. We have continued to request additional funding year after year. While the funding has remained the same, the cost of services has also increased, as have our needs. As an example, 7 years ago the state funding allocation for School Safety and Security for Citrus County School for Safety and Security used to fund the School Board’s cost of SROs in schools, extra duty pay for SROs to be at after-school events, and crossing guards. Today, that funding only pays the School Board’s portion for the SROs in schools. SROs, School Safety experts and the School District (and now the Governor) believe, that SROs are key to improving safety on schools’ campus. Citrus is not alone in these issues of funding and SROs. Just last month in Tallahassee, we spoke with numerous other districts who are in the same situation.

It is so tragic that the events of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have had to take place before state leaders have decided to now take up these issues.  We are beginning to see changes taking place.  In Hernando County, they apparently had no SROs assigned to their elementary schools.  This week the Hernando Board of County Commissioners during their meeting on February 27, 2018, the commissioners in Hernando county unanimously approved to provide the Hernando Sheriff’s Office $887,107 from their General Fund Reserves for SRO needs in their Hernando Schools. The Hernando School Board will next approval to fund one half of the cost.

I look for Citrus County Sheriff Office and the Citrus County School Board to do something similar.  The Citrus Sheriff Mike Prendergast and the Citrus Superintend of Schools Sandra “Sam” Himmel are working together to provide one SRO to one school.  I look forward to the request to come before the Citrus School Board for a vote in the very near future.  In the mean time, the Sheriff has been providing continual resources to the SRO Division.

The Florida Senate this year has proposed an increase in School Safety and Security funding allocation, but the House budgeted for level funding, but we are hearing there are open to increasing. Please contact all our state legislators and tell them to increase funding for School Safety and Security for our kid, but don’t reduce funding for other programs and needs to pay for it.  Doing so creates additional new challenges which contribute negatively to our students and schools.

In addition to School Safety and Security, our communities need proper funding for mental health.  In Citrus County we greatly need a Baker Act processing center.  At this time a Sheriff’s deputy can be tied up for their entire shift processing one Baker Act.  This often results in one deputy off the road per day just processing mental health issues.  Mental Health continues to contribute to the challenges of our students and staff and we must better address these needs.

If you have specific concerns, questions or issues regarding the safety at a specific school, I encourage you to please specifically speak one-on-one to the school principal/administrator about your concerns.  I am also available and can help direct you to the best persons to speak with.

I want to thank the Citrus Sheriff’s Department, the deputies and School Resource officers to everyday work and train to ensure the safety of our students, staff, schools, and facilities.

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