The Moore County School Board Safety Committee met to review and recommend policy revisions on Monday morning. The discussion was focused on improving officer retention and discussing legislative strategies to broaden recruitment for the district’s police department.
The committee is comprised of board members Ken Benway, Robin Calcutt, and Shannon Davis, along with Staff Liaison Jamie Synan and Superintendent Tim Locklair. Moore County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Andy Conway, Moore County Schools Police Chief Ricky Gooch, and Moore County Schools Sergeant Timothy Bullins were invited to share their insights at the meeting as well.
Current School Resource Officers
Locklair opened the meeting by presenting a proposal to revise the special separation allowance policy for school resource officers (SROs). The current policy requires 20 years of service for an officer to receive 100 percent of the benefit, and the proposed revision would lower that requirement to eight years.
Locklair estimated the budget liability for the change at just under $100,000 annually based on current staffing. He stated the adjustment responds directly to feedback from officers and the sheriff regarding retention.
“We want to make sure the board understands there is that budget liability, but this is feedback we got from the officers and the sheriff,” said Locklair. “It’s something we want to look at to fix any possible retention issues.”
He also reminded committee members that the separation is calculated based on years of service, meaning an officer who retires after eight years would receive less than an officer who stays for twenty years. Regardless, Conway found this to be a fair incentive.
All board members expressed support for the measure despite the cost.
“We recognize it affects the budget, but it’s something that needs to be done,” added Davis.
Following this discussion, Synan presented results from an anonymous survey of current officers regarding recruitment and workplace satisfaction. While officers rated the department positively for family support and work hours, they cited pay disparity as a main issue.
Uncertainty regarding the department’s future also appeared in the survey responses. Synan noted that officers expressed concern over whether the department would remain independent or merge with the Sheriff’s Office. Throughout the meeting, Bullins repeatedly referenced that he feels it is necessary for the system to hire a permanent chief to stabilize the force.
“Folks won’t come to a ship that doesn’t have a captain,” added Bullins. “You got to have a chief.”
Gooch agreed and also noted that SROs prefer assigned schools rather than rotating across the county. This way, they can form relationships with students, which, in turn, benefits the officer, the students, and the staff.
To address immediate security gaps at elementary schools, the committee has debated using off-duty sheriff deputies. Conway explained that the off-duty rate is usually around $55 per hour, totaling just over $96,000 per officer for a school year. He warned that the Sheriff’s Office could not guarantee full coverage due to manpower limitations, and even if every police department in the county contributed, full coverage would remain highly unlikely.
“There are no savings by trying to assign one off-duty deputy,” Conway added. “It’d be difficult for us to do that, and it would take away from our road patrol and daily service, too.”
The board agreed that, moving forward, these additional measures for recruitment and long-term retention are high on its list of priorities.
Legislation and Limitations
The committee also discussed legislative barriers hindering the hiring of officers from out-of-state departments or those with military backgrounds. Attorney Richard Schwartz told the committee that current state regulations make it difficult to hire anyone without prior in-state police experience, as they must serve elsewhere in North Carolina before becoming an SRO.
At a previous committee meeting, Deputy Conway proposed establishing a School Police Cadet Program modeled after a successful Sheriff’s Office initiative. The plan specifically targets willing groups, such as military veterans, and sponsors them through Basic Law Enforcement Training at Sandhills Community College.
As such, Moore County Schools envisions implementing a robust training program in which probationary officers work under supervision for at least three months before performing duties independently. The program would ensure these officers complete all required certifications and the course within one year, and are streamlined straight into the position of school resource officer.
Calcutt hopes this would remove recruitment barriers and speed up the process of placing qualified officers in schools.
Schwartz shared that he had begun seeking local legislation to allow Moore County Schools to hire probationary officers and out-of-state applicants more easily. He noted that the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association opposed this proposal, though he was not given a reason.
When asked if the board might have any success in reaching out to the N.C. Sheriff’s Association, Conway advised the committee to contact state legislators rather than the association.
“It’s better to reach out to Senator McInnis and see what he can do,” Conway suggested, “or one of the legislators in our corner. See who has the best bill-writer.”
Committee members considered the impact this action could have statewide, though they agreed that change is easier to implement at the county level.
“As a county, we might be the first to work toward a bigger change,” reflected Benway. “From a public affairs perspective, it boils down to a question: do you want to protect the children? Do you want to facilitate the safety of children? If so, how do we accomplish that?”
Though a formal vote was not taken, the committee agreed unanimously to have Schwartz continue pursuing the legislative options and that they would reconvene at a later date to hear a progress report.
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~ Article by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
