Today, the Cumberland County Board of Education held a special meeting to approve important agreements regarding School Resource Officers (SROs) and Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) for the upcoming school year.
District staff and School Board members have collaborated closely with local law enforcement, government staff and elected officials to finalize school safety and security coverage for the 2024-2025 school year.
Town of Hope Mills:
Today, the Board of Education approved the School Resource Officer Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Town of Hope Mills following approval by the Town of Hope Mills Board of Commissioners. The Board of Education also approved an addendum to the MOA providing for TCOs within the Town.
2024-2025 SRO Assignments in Hope Mills:
South View High School
Hope Mills Middle School
South View Middle School
One rover covering four elementary schools
One combination rover/supervisor/after-school extra duty scheduler
All SRO and TCO positions for schools located within Hope Mills have been filled for the upcoming school year.
City of Fayetteville:
The Board of Education approved the financial terms of a proposed MOA with the City of Fayetteville. Staff for the Board of Education and the City of Fayetteville are collaborating on a draft MOA and hope to provide it to their respective elected officials for consideration and final approval in the near future.
Planned SRO Assignments in Fayetteville (pending City approval):
Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) will provide SROs for 47 schools.
FPD will assign 25 school resource officers and three supervisory positions upon full staffing.
Full staffing will be phased in over approximately two years starting with high schools within the city limits.
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office:
On June 20, the School Board approved a new MOA with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) to provide SRO and TCO coverage for schools in unincorporated areas of the county.
. The MOA also confirmed that the Sheriff's Office will provide transition coverage for year-round schools and summer school sites.
Town of Spring Lake:
CCSO will provide SRO coverage for the 2024-2025 school year for three schools located within Spring Lake (Spring Lake Middle, W.T. Brown Elementary and Manchester Elementary) due to staffing shortages in the Spring Lake Police Department. Spring Lake schools do not have Traffic Control Officers based on their location and traffic patterns.
"Our community's commitment to school safety is evident in the dedication and hard work of all involved,” said Chairwoman Deanna Jones. “The presence of School Resource Officers and Traffic Control Officers at our schools underscores our collective efforts to protect and support our students and staff. We are grateful for everyone's unwavering commitment to providing a safe learning environment."
CCS Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr., added, “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. School Resource Officers play a crucial role in maintaining a secure learning environment, and we appreciate the collaborative effort of our law enforcement partners, elected officials, government staff and district staff in finalizing SRO coverage for the 2024-2025 school year. This unified approach allows us to provide an exceptional learning environment for our students and staff, and that's what it's all about at the end of the day."