High school in talks with sheriff regarding on-campus officer

“I don’t have anything definitive yet … but there have been some very serious conversations at that level about that,” Madison County Schools Superintendent Mitch McGhee said. “But for me to tell you that it’s imminent would not be true.”

This isn’t a new idea. In fact, McGhee said school leaders have discussed this for two or three years now, but funding has been an issue.

“Given the economic times we’re in, we could not do that,” McGhee said.

But Sheriff Kip Thomas said the cost of the school officer can be covered by the sheriff’s department.

“It would come out of our budget,” he said.

The officer would report directly to the principal and would be provided with an office, computer and radio by the school.

“I’m sure the principal would give him specific duties,” McGhee said. “Parking lot, during arrival and dismissal, lunch room. Your main trouble areas.”

The hope is that the officer’s hours are flexible to allow him or her to work at football games and other major after-school events.

It’s McGhee’s understanding that this officer would be armed, though that isn’t the case in all schools.

When he worked in Newton County, McGhee said one high school there had an armed officer, while the other didn’t.

“The reason he wasn’t armed was that he might be breaking up a fight, and when you’re breaking up a fight with a bunch of kids, it would be fairly easy to grab that weapon,” McGhee said.

The discussion of an SRO isn’t an indication that MCHS has discipline problems or that the officer would necessarily make the school safer.

“We had put in for grants in the past, years ago, for a school resource officer, and were told that we we’re not bad enough,” McGhee said. “We were told we did not have enough serious discipline. Which is a good thing.”

In Madison County High School’s case, McGhee said having an officer in the school is more about perception.

“We will be able to deal with some particular incidents a little quicker,” he said. “It’s a perception. And some kids may, if they see a uniformed officer walking around, they may be less likely to try something.”

Madison County Sheriff’s Department Major Shawn Burns echoed that sentiment, saying an officer present at the school will be a “proactive approach,” a way to deter problems before they happen.

“If you have an officer present, it’s less likely that the kids will try something,” said Burns.