There will soon be a new addition to the Medical Lake School District, one that wears a deputy’s uniform.
The district will soon enter into a contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to provide a school resource officer to serve at Hallett Elementary, the middle school and the high school.
Superintendent Tim Ames wanted to bring in a resource officer as other districts in Spokane County, such as Riverside, Deer Park and Cheney. Medical Lake Mayor John Higgins approached Ames about the district getting a resource officer. The city of Medical Lake currently contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for policing services.
“Mayor Higgins’ thought was the SRO will not only serve the schools but also be used as emergency dispatch and back up the deputies in the city,” Ames said. “It will increase the law enforcement presence in the community.”
Ames and staff will work on the details of the contract and present it to the school board for approval. He said the SRO will have an office at the high school and will make visits to the other buildings 1-2 times per week. Their duties include monitoring traffic and parking lots before and after school, attending school events and investigating cyber bullying, harassment, drug or alcohol or other incidents that happen at the schools.
“We’ve had a couple of incidents at the high school that could have been prevented with an officer there,” Ames said. “Staff and students would know there is a law enforcement presence in the building. We think this will be a benefit to all of the schools.”
Ames said the SRO will work to establish a relationship with students to help them better understand law enforcement. The officer will also discuss bike safety, safe paths to school and truancy, as well as assist in emergency drills and be a resource for parents.
“We want to teach our students and parents that the SRO is more than ‘just a cop,’” Ames said. “We want them to understand that he is also their friend.”
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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