With the start of a new school year just over a week away, school officials and others are preparing for students’ return. When classes begin, every school in White County will have a School Resource Officer in place.
This week, the White County Board of Commissioners approved a budget amendment for the White County Sheriff’s Office that will allow for the hiring of two additional officers to serve at the schools.
White County Sheriff Rick Kelley told commissioners this has been long in coming. Kelley said the school system will pick up the base salary for the officers for their service during the 180-day school year. The county will pick up the cost of benefits and equipment.
The county is hoping to use some promised federal funds to help cover much of its cost.
The school system and board of commissioners have been working to get this implemented.
“Sheriff Kelley, you know my personal position on this, I’ve been very highly supportive, I think this entire board [has been]. I feel confident we are unanimous in that support,” said commission chairman Travis Turner.
The White County Sheriff’s Office and Cleveland Police Department held joint school safety training sessions Tuesday and Thursday at White County Middle School. Other schools across Northeast Georgia have held similar training sessions to prepare for the coming school year.
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