Council divided over school resource officer plan

Some Hope town officials are divided over a plan for the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department to provide a school resource officer for Flat Rock-Hawcreek schools.

At the end of last week's Town Council meeting, local resident Ed Cottrell expressed his concerns over the plan. Speaking as a former worker in emergency services, he said he would be more comfortable if the Hope Police Department had been tapped to provide the service.

Town Council member Nellie Meek said that the issue was one of resources. The sheriff's department simply has more people, more training and more equipment. Should the officer become ill, the larger department would be able to move another trained officer to fill the gap, while the Hope police would be taxed to provide the staff member.

Councilman Clyde Compton said he took issue with the arrangement, saying that the response time from Hope police to an emergency would be much quicker compared to the sheriff's department more than 10 miles away.

Under the proposal outlined by the sheriff and school district officials at this month's Bartholomew County Council meeting, the school would provide money from a grant plus other local funds to pay the officer's salary and benefits, while the sheriff would provide training and equipment.

School board President Pat Walters said at that meeting that the Hope Police Department was given the right of first refusal to fill the position, but declined. 

The sheriff included the school resource officer in his budget proposal for next year, but that still must be approved by Bartholomew County Council. The council picks up its budget hearings this afternoon.