(Atlantic) The City of Atlantic and the Atlantic Community School District have agreed to collaborate on hiring a School Resource Officer. The Atlantic School Board approved the partnership a week ago, and the Atlantic City Council on Wednesday night.
To formalize the agreement, both the City and the School District need to create a 28E information-sharing agreement. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue and the School District seek grants to initiate the program. Additionally, the Atlantic Police Department will conduct fundraising efforts during the summer and fall.
Atlantic City Council member Elaine Otte stated that the School Resource Officer will be an employee of the City and a member of the Atlantic Police Department and will work in all of the school district’s buildings.
Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue has applied for a three-year federal Community Oriented Policing Service Grant to fund a School Resource Officer. The grant is worth $125,000 and will be distributed over three years. However, after the grant funding ends, the City and the School District must commit to funding the program for a fourth year.
The plan is to open the hiring position pending the grant’s approval and have someone in the role by the second half of the school year. The allocation of long-term costs has yet to be finalized.
