The Moore County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved adding 13 school resource officers (SRO) to provide a full-time officer in each school.
Currently, there are 14 SROs, bringing the total to 27. The expansion will supply a captain to supervise all officers. It will take up to 18 months to install the new officers.
A State Safety Grant of approximately $80,000 will help fund two SRO positions.
The Board of Education will use $562,946.24 in ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds to begin the SRO additions.
In October, the Moore County Board of Education agreed to move $562,946.24 in ESSER funds from child nutrition cash reserves to begin the SRO expansion and to partner with Moore County Commissioners. Read more here.
Local, state and federal funds will assist, and a local funding was categorized separately from the allocation of School Current Expense and will be processed as a reimbursement.
In other new business, the board approved the purchase of 10 new law enforcement vehicles.
The new vehicles include three 2022 Ford PI Utility AWD vehicles, four 2022 Ford F150 Responders (at last year’s prices), and three 2023 Ford PI Utility AWD patrol vehicles from Performance Automotive at $397,503.44.
During recognitions, the board approved making the month of November Adoption Awareness Month in 2022.
The Moore County Department of Social Services serves 79 children and plans on permanent placement for 30.
The purpose of Adoption Awareness Month is to share the need for adoptive families for children in foster care, especially teens, and to emphasize the value of youth engagement.
Veteran Services Director Kelly Greene saluted military members in a presentation to the board, and they proclaimed Nov. 1-11 Operation Green Light.
North Carolina counties will highlight the support of military members transitioning into civilian life by residents and businesses.
Greene said 44% to 72% of military members transitioning into civilian life suffer stress. There is an expected 20% increase in transitioning, and Moore County has 9,477 military members and veterans.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Journalist Stephanie M. Sellers. Contact her at [email protected].
