PG School Board Adds Second Resource Officer

— Prairie Grove students will have a second school resource officer, beginning with the 2018-19 school year.

Prairie Grove School Board last week voted to add another resource officer and discussed the possibility of adding a third officer at some point in the future.

Board member William Dick said he wanted a school resource officer for all three school buildings.

Allen Williams, superintendent of schools, agreed with Dick’s recommendation but said he thought the district should get a second SRO in place and then decide what to do next.

The school district and city of Prairie Grove split 50-50 the salary and benefits for one school resource officer. Williams said the

school probably should pay more of the costs for a second one. He said the split could be 75/25 or the school could pay for 10 months of the salary and the city pay two months.

Williams said he has been talking to city officials about the costs to determine which way is best. Williams said the school would pay the majority of salary and benefits, and the city could be responsible for equipment for a new officer.

Williams had good things to say about Prairie Grove’s school resource officers.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve had a good run,” Williams said. “We had Jeff O’Brien, (Tim) Standifer and now David Faulk.”

Faulk works well with students and parents, Williams said.

“David is worth his weight in gold. He’s a very calming influence.”

Sgt. Tim Standifer served as school resource officer for two years, from the end of 2013 through 2015. Even back then a second resource officer would have been helpful, Standifer said. He would be working a situation at one school and be called to another school for a different issue.

“You ran thin a lot,” Standifer said, adding, “”This will be a big benefit to the school and us.”

Faulk is in his third year as the school resource officer and said a second SRO would allow the department to implement some new plans and free up more time for interacting with students.

In addition to walking around schools, Faulk leads active shooter classes, coordinates Shop with a Cop and other community events, helps with lunch duty and conducts investigations dealing with student legal issues. He attends sporting events and once a week eats doughnuts with students at the elementary school.

Mayor Sonny Hudson said he supports the school’s request for another resource office and said he would bring the request to the City Council. Hudson did not expect to hear any objections.

“The biggest feat will be finding the right person,” Hudson said. “We’ll start putting the word out.”

In another way to increase police presence on campus, Williams said he has told other officers that if they want to drop by one of the schools to visit with students, lunch is free for those in uniform. This same offer is good for sheriff’s deputies, a Game and Fish officer who lives in the area and even FBI agents who may live in Prairie Grove, Williams said.

He was quick to say, however, that officers were “not overrunning” the district for free meals.

“It’s not like we have 12 officers up here,” Williams said to some laughter from those at the School Board meeting.