City Council approves school resource officer
Madison City Schools will have an additional school resource officer on the first day of school in 2015 after the City Council unanimously approved the hiring of one at its July 13 meeting. (File Photo/Nick Sellers)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – The Madison City Council approved the addition of a school resource officer for Madison City Schools at its meeting on July 13, bringing the total number of SROs to eight for the school system.
The new patrol officer will be responsible for providing a presence at the system’s elementary schools, joining an existing SRO responsible for serving among the elementary schools.
Currently, James Clemens and Bob Jones high schools have two SROs apiece. Discovery Middle and Liberty Middle each have one officer assigned to its campus.
Maj. Jim Cooke of the Madison Police Department noted the addition of a school resource officer for elementary schools will allow the department to teach additional courses and training not previously offered to the city’s elementary students, including bicycle safety.
“He’ll be able to respond to any [elementary] school that he needs to,” Cooke said.
Cooke also said the officer would be able to handle custody and child abuse issues that may arise with students.
As it stands, one school resource officer holds the rank of sergeant and acts as supervisor for the other seven. Patrol officers submit applications for SRO positions as they become available, and successful applicants undergo specialized training to become one.
School board members David Hergenroeder and Terri Johnson, current president, were present at the Council meeting.
“Each and every officer is valuable to us,” Hergenroeder said.
According to city documents, Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey advised the Council on the school system’s request for an additional officer for the upcoming school year and that Council had proposed adding two for the 2015-16 school year.
Council President Tommy Overcash mentioned the Council’s proposal of adding two officers at the July 13 regular meeting, but clarified after the meeting that the school system decided on the hiring of one for this year after reviewing its budgets.
