Florida District Creates Own Police Department

Florida District Creates Own Police Department

The department will be comprised of a chief, two lieutenants, four sergeants, 36 school resource officers, three relief school resource officers and a detective.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • February 11, 2019

Clay County Public Schools will have its own police department by the fall after board members voted to create a 47-member department to help with school security.

“We will do it as aggressive as we can in order to have the best to protect our schools,” Superintendent Addison Davis told Action News JAX.

The department will be comprised of a chief, two lieutenants, four sergeants, 36 school resource officers, three relief school resource officers and a detective. Most of the district’s campuses will be covered by the school resource officers.

Following last year’s Parkland shooting, state leaders passed a law requiring every Florida public school to have school resource officers or school safety officers. Clay County schools have been using a combination of school resource officers provided by local law enforcement like the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and employees hired under the Guardian Program.

Under the new plan, the 27 Guardians employed by the district would be phased out after the first year. Some Guardians could become school resource officers working in the district’s police force, according to Davis.

The first year and startup costs total more than $6.1 million, and costs for the second year are estimated at $4.2 million.

Davis said he’s aware that creating the district police department in five months would be difficult. He said the district will hire people to help train staff and the district will search nationwide for a police chief.

“I understand what it takes to get it done, and we’ll do it to the best of our ability,” Davis said.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Electrified Latch Retraction Locks Key Benefits for Retrofits

    Building owners and facility managers increasingly rely on electrified hardware to enhance security while meeting accessibility standards. Among these technologies, electrified or motorized latch retraction locks are especially effective for retrofit projects where existing door and frame conditions complicate upgrades. Latch retraction capable locks combine security, accessibility and code compliance benefits, making them ideal for retrofitting fire-rated and non-rated openings in schools, healthcare facilities, commercial buildings and more. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

Most   Popular