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Stanly Co. schools to implement armed volunteer program

By Liz Foster
By Liz Foster

STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — As school districts across the nation explore ways to keep students safe, Stanly County leaders are enacting a new program that won’t cost the district any money.

At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, board members unanimously approved a program presented by Sheriff George Burris that will allow armed volunteers to serve as school resource officers.

“It’s better to have somebody to protect them than them [be] left defenseless in my opinion,” said Allyssa Blalock, who has two children in Stanly County schools.

Blalock told Channel 9 she worries about their safety.

Others have concerns about the new program.

“It’s not about them particularly being armed to protect the students, but just having the gun there in case there’s someone there going through mental issues,” said Christina Cline.

The Stanly County Sheriff’s Office will run the program that state lawmakers approved in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook school tragedy in Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were shot and killed.

[READ: State Law on Armed Volunteer School Resource Officer Program]

Per state law, volunteer school resource officers must have experience as a sworn law enforcement officer or a military police officer with a minimum of two years of service. The volunteers will also go through extensive background checks and training.

“They’ve got to be qualified, make it through the applicant process, background investigation and all the training,” Burris said.

The volunteer school resource officers won’t just patrol school hallways and respond to potential threats, they will also have the power to arrest someone while on duty at the school.

“These folks are just people in our county who love our students, love our county and want to help protect them,” Burris told Channel 9.

As of now, there is a full-time school resource officer at each of Stanly County’s four high schools and four middle schools. The volunteer program will put SRO’s in elementary schools; at no cost to the district.

“We feel like this is one of the best decisions we can make for Stanly County residents to ensure them that your child’s going to have the same protections we afford them at middle and high school,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeff James.

Burris told Channel 9 he has already had four people volunteer. He hopes to have their background checks and training done as soon as possible; and have them in schools by the end of April.

The pilot program will start at four elementary schools in rural Stanly County: Aquadale, Endy, Millingport and Richfield.

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