School Board approves having an SRO at each campus
“We are fortunate in this city — we have great support in our community.”
Next year, there will be a School Resource Officer on each campus of the Pea Ridge School District.
Meeting in regular session Monday, Feb. 13, School Board members approved funding two additional School Resource Officers bringing the total number of SROs to five.
The SROs are employees of the city Police Department who are contracted with the School District; their salary during the school year is paid by the School District.
“One of the things I hear from the community is that they would like to see an SRO at each campus,” superintendent Keith Martin said.
Martin told members of the board that the Arkansas School Safety Commission issued a final report in October 2022 that included recommendations for school districts emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive school safety plan. That plan includes the recommendation that every campus should have an “armed presence” when staff and children are attending class or a major extracurricular activity and that “ideally that armed presence be a School Resource Officer.”
Martin requested that the number of SROs be increased from three to five for the 2023-2024 school year. Martin also recommended that one of the five be contracted for 12 months. He said the additional cost would be $275,000. The Pea Ridge School District is eligible for $183,025 from a school safety grand which must be used to aid implementing
Lt. Rich Fordham
the recommendation from the School Safety Commission and provide a safe school environment for students and staff.
He said there are certified safety officers hired by some districts. Those officers have 60 hours of training.
“I just feel the SRO is a better option for us than a certified safety officer,” Martin said.
“The thing you get with a security guard is a gun and a person,” Lt. Rich Fordham, who oversees the SRO program for the Police Department, said. “
He explained that SROs are employees of the police department and certified safety officers are employees of the school district.
“We have constant training, firearms training, equipment we bring to the table. We just bought tactical shields, helmets, breaching tools and we have the certifications of knowing how to use them,” Fordham explained. “Crimes do happen in the schools. SROs respond. A security guard can’t investigate a crime.
“We are fortunate in this city — we have great support in our community. We are not struggling hiring police officers,” Fordham said.
The police officers and SROs participate in active shooter training yearly in the schools.
“I think we’re really prepared. This would be extremely beneficial for the schools and community,” he said.
Kevin Ramey, assistant superintendent, said the SROs have specialized training above that of patrol officers. “We have fantastic relationships. This seems to be the best fit for our school district and keeps us the safest.”
Board member Sarah Saragusa asked whether the district could afford the additional cost.
“We can afford it,” Martin said. “This is one of the benefits of being a growing school district — you have the opportunity to add programs. If you ask the average parent, they want an armed presence on each campus.”
The areas addressed by the School Safety Commission included mental health; cybersecurity; law enforcement and security; audits, emergency operations plans and drills; intelligence and communications; and physical security.
“Our goal is to be proactive on a daily basis to ensure our campuses are safe and meeting the needs of all students,” Martin said, explaining that a layered approach addresses issues as they are happening and by dedicating services, programs and resources to ensure a safe and respectful environment.