(Pottawattamie Co) The Pottwattamie County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted four to one to approve the School Resource Officers (SRO) agreement.
The agreements are between the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and the Treynor, Underwood, Riverside, AHSTW, and Tri-Center School Districts. The SRO assists school administrators by taking immediate action when law enforcement intervention in warranted. Additionally, the SRO provides guidance and support in assisting schools staff, students, and parents with law enforcement related matters. The agreement states, “Through relationship building and problem solving efforts and by cooperative efforts with school staff, students, parents, the SRO program strives to assist the districts with providing safe schools and a safe neighborhood environment.”
Chief Deputy Sheriff Steve Winchell provided a background on how the SRO program started.
Winchell said nothing has changed with the agreements since last year. The Districts equally pay the County the $20,000 received from the grant funding provided by the State. Should the Distrcts not receive grant funding, the additional SRO shall not be assigned.
Supervisor Tim Wichman was the sole nay vote.
Winchell noted that both of these officers also work with the Sheriff’s Office outside of the school districts year-round.
