The Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Board of Trustees approved an agreement Wednesday which allows the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office to take over school resource officer duties for the system.
“I do want to publicly thank Sheriff Tyree Davis for his cooperation and collaboration in this,” Superintendent Bennett Jones said as he discussed the issue with the board. “We had this as an agenda item for a couple of months and we were in dialogue with the city of Roanoke Rapids and the police department and some issues arose regarding their concerns and being able to do the agreement as we had talked about.”
The agreement, approved on a motion by Carol Dean, is a three-year contract, Jones said. “It allows us to work in collaboration with the sheriff’s department.”
The superintendent noted that the RRGSD has “a really good relationship with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department.”
He said RRPD officers are picking up work any time there is a vacancy, an opening, someone is sick, or for any other situation. “That opens it up to the Roanoke Rapids Police Department for them to pick up an extra shift that we pay for. If they don’t pick it up, it’s offered to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office for them to pick up.”
He said the school district appreciates the support of RRPD Chief Lawrence Wiggins and Davis “to ensure that we have armed school resource officers at each of our campuses each day.”
Jones credited Executive Director of Community Relations and Auxiliary Services Hunter Jenks for facilitating the meetings with the system’s current SROs and district employees who have previously served as SROs to ensure the district had an order that works for them and the sheriff’s office. “This is a great day for us to solidify something that’s been going on for a couple of months and get a resolution.”
The superintendent said that Davis has a standard operating procedure that he wants for his SROs including uniforms and capacity.
Then there is the question of vehicles. “Because we own the vehicles, the vehicles will be basically leased out or loaned out to the sheriff’s office for the duration of this agreement for their striping, for their identification so that it matches. But they’re still our cars. We're still responsible for the maintenance and the upkeep.”
There is also the aspect of radios that were purchased with the police department, he said, which requires them to be returned to the RRPD. “We will be purchasing radios with the sheriff’s department so our officers will have access to those channels.”
School board Attorney Patricia Robinson said that new SROs are hired upon the mutual recommendation of the sheriff and superintendent. “The sheriff was also clear that he needed to be able to direct the day-to-day operations so there’s a kind of joint supervisory model here. The sheriff is directing them throughout the day and also, as school system employees, they are accountable to the superintendent.”
The sheriff, in his sole discretion, can revoke an SRO's certification as a law enforcement officer, she said.
Jones said following the vote that within the RRGSD there will be four SROs — a sergeant and three officers.
Jones said he was pleased with the way the issue was settled. “We greatly appreciate the efforts of both Chief Wiggins and Sheriff Davis.”
He said it was important to the school system to retain the SROs it had for continuity of service. “They’re aware of our district, and our needs, and our schools. We’re very appreciative of Sheriff Davis and county commissioners for helping to support this initiative. It works out to where we can have an agreement that they remain our employees, but work through the authority of the sheriff’s department.”
And, he said, “I think it’s a great outcome for our schools and for our students so the kids will be seeing the same faces.”
Davis said in a statement his office has worked closely with partners to determine the best path forward, a path “that puts the safety and security of our students, teachers, staff, and entire school community first.”
The HCSO currently provides SRO coverage to three other school systems — Weldon City Schools, Halifax County Schools, and Halifax Academy. “We are proud to serve those students, teachers, staff, and families, and we are grateful for the trust they place in our deputies every day. We now have the opportunity to extend that same commitment to the RRGSD.”
Taking on the SRO responsibilities for the RRGSD will require five additional SRO positions — four full-time and one part-time. Applications for all five positions must be received and processed, including applications from current RRGSD SROs who wish to continue serving in these roles. Current SROs will be given priority and will be hired into their existing positions, provided they successfully complete the required certification process through the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission.
“We understand that this transition will take time, but one thing will not wait — the safety of our children,” he said. “That is why our commitment to school safety will continue throughout this transition. You have already seen on-duty and off-duty HCSO deputies, along with Roanoke Rapids Police Department officers, present on school campuses. RRGSD has agreed to pay off-duty deputies and officers to provide security for the schools until the transition is complete.”
