Carson City Sheriff's Office awarded $375K grant to fund school resource officer program
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Fri, 10/02/2015 - 2:29pm
Carson City is the recipient of a three-year, $375,000 U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing grant that will fund three resource officers for the Carson City School District, Sheriff Ken Furlong announced Friday.
The grant award tops off a three-year effort to develop a Carson City School Resource Officer Program, dedicated to the schools and functionally operated out of the sheriff’s office, said Furlong. The grant provides for salaries and benefits of three officers who will work alongside youth 12 months a year both inside and outside the classroom.
Sheriff Furlong and Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes are elated with the grant award, which they learned about Thursday and made public Friday.
"Its a great opportunity to enhance the safety and security of our students and staff. I'm grateful to the sheriff for his persistence in seeking this grant," said Stokes.
This endeavor has been long in the coming and expected to enhance the welfare, safety and health of all of our students and staff of the schools, said Furlong. "The visionary goal of the grant is that all of our schools and occupants are safest when our children are at their desks receiving the highest quality of education affordable."
The Carson City Sheriff's Office has assigned one deputy to the schools, Deputy Jessica Dickey, plus two officers who assist when needed.
"This is exciting because it is going to take our schools to a whole new level when it comes to relationship building," said Dickey. "It will enhance our ability to work with kids."
Fiscally, Sheriff Furlong detailed that the entire program cost over the next three years will be $877,000. The grant will fund a officers alaries and benefits for the period. The DARE program, which has its own officer, will be part of the overall program that is funded separately, said Furlong.
During the first year of implementation, the grant will necessitate that the school district and city fund approximately $81,000. Each successive year of the grant, the federal portion will decrease and the city obligation will increase proportionally.
Furlong said it will be an excellent opportunity for the community to grow into its own responsibility. At the end of the three year period, the special conditions of the grant require that the program be continued.
In order to implement the grant award, both Sheriff Furlong and Superintendent Stokes will present the award to the respective governing bodies, school district and board of supervisors, for approval.
Both of these governing boards have been kept informed of the project since its inception. These meetings for approval are anticipated to be presented first to the upcoming scheduled school board in mid-October, then, followed with a presentation to the Board of Supervisors at their first meeting in November.
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