Sheriff's Office gets OK to provide resource officer for Holly Grove Christian School

Posted 9/6/22

PRINCESS ANNE — The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office was granted permission by the County Commissioners to expand its school resource officer program to include Holly Grove Christian …

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Sheriff's Office gets OK to provide resource officer for Holly Grove Christian School

Posted

PRINCESS ANNE — The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office was granted permission by the County Commissioners to expand its school resource officer program to include Holly Grove Christian School in Westover provided the county is reimbursed for the expense.

With an enrollment of 550 students Sheriff Ronnie Howard said the private school would charge along with its annual tuition a security fee of $150 per student which should more than cover the salary for a deputy during the school year even with the rate being less for families with more than one student enrolled.

The sheriff said there is a former deputy who is retired interested in the position and he would not require benefits. If Holly Grove decides to not continue the program, however, the SRO would not be kept on as an employee with the Sheriff’s Office. That would be in the contract, the sheriff said, because this position “is not in our budget.”

Likewise if the SRO called out sick or was away there would be no substitute available to fill-in.

“They’re our employee, but only on a contractual basis,” Sheriff Howard said. An invoice would be sent quarterly to Holly Grove for reimbursement following the same arrangement as the public schools. Before the SRO starts work a required 80 hours of field training is required which comes at no cost, he said.

In July the County Commissioners and Somerset County Public Schools agreed on a memorandum of understanding to share the cost of five additional deputies to work as SROs in four schools that lacked coverage with the fifth being a floater serving where needed due to scheduling, training, sickness or for emergency response.

In approving the MOU with Holly Grove, Commissioner President Craig Mathies Sr. said implementation would be authorized only after all documents passed legal muster through the county attorney and finance director.

The sheriff said Holly Grove is also considering purchasing a vehicle for the deputy which if police markings are removed could be used by school personnel.

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