Paris, Tenn.–The Henry County Sheriff’s Office is looking to expand its coverage of local schools by adding reserve deputies its School Resource Officer program.
Sheriff Monte Belew said the sheriff’s office wants to bring 20 reserve deputies on board as additional coverage for the local schools. He emphasized the reserve deputies will not take the place of the existing SROs who are already stationed at each school in Henry Co.
The reserve deputies will be volunteer positions and will work eight hours a month at schools in both the Henry Co. Schools district and Paris Special Schools.
The curriculum for their training was developed by Sgt. Eddie Crosser and Sgt. Buford Taylor, both of whom are SROs in Henry County. They put together a 120-your program and it has been approved by the state, Belew said.
Classes will be held mostly on Tuesdays and Thursday nights, with some Saturday classes. The sheriff’s office is looking for people with prior law enforcement and/or military training, but that is not required.
Belew said the new program would save Henry County some $50,000 a year.
Applications can be picked up at the sheriff’s office at 210 Forrest in Paris.
Belew said the Number 1 priority for the program is school safety.
Henry Co. Director of Schools Dr. Leah Watkins was on hand for the announcement and said, “I’m excited to see the partnership between the sheriff’s office and schools continue to grow.”
Photo: Sheriff Monte Belew shows information on a chart, while Chief Deputy Damon Lowe and Dr. Watkins look on. Photo by sheriff’s office.
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