Hampton Co. Sheriff’s Office fully staffs each school with SRO; trying to staff new school
HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - For the first time in years, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office will have a student resource officer (SRO) at every one of its county’s schools.
This is thanks to funding approved by the state late last month.
“They are our guardian angels,” Hampton County Sheriff Anthony Russell said. “Their job is to protect those kids and staff at those schools.”
Now, a few of those SROs were just recently hired and are still finishing up their mandatory training, but soon all nine Hampton County schools will have an SRO patrolling their hallways.
“Just having one individual at the school means a lot, that means we got a first responder, we got boots on the ground with that school and that school district,” Sheriff Russell said.
Before the funding was approved for this school year, Hampton County was already receiving money to help pay for some of its SRO positions, but not all of them.
“We got together and with the help of the governor of South Carolina, with his mission, and his focus on our school district. He’s helped tremendously in funding those positions,” Sheriff Russell said.
County officials say this funding will not only increase safety at the schools but also save taxpayers money because the positions are being paid with grant money.
“That’s nine positions that the taxpayers of South Carolina don’t have to worry about putting that burden on.”
The sheriff’s office and school system are now working to secure funding to hire a new SRO at the new high school that is being built.
They were denied the first time around, but they are going to keep trying to ensure that position is filled by next school year.
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