COLUMBIA, S.C. — For many school districts, school resource officers, or SRO's have become an extra layer of safety.
In 2019, the South Carolina General Assembly began funding school resource officers in an effort to have one in every school. The $11 million in funding created 205 new school resource officers across the state.
According to the Governor's office, there were 406 schools with SRO's in 2018. In 2022 that number has grown to 939 across South Carolina's roughly 1, 276. 44 additional officers are set to be hired July 1.
According to the State Department of Public Safety, $18 million was appropriated in state funding for the SRO program last year. The same amount is pending approval of the state budget that will begin July 1.
Once funding is awarded to local school districts, the districts then work with their local law enforcement agencies to decide on selection and placement of the SRO's.
“Some of the officers are funded 50% where we pay 50% through our budget and the school districts pay the other half," said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. "Some are 100% because of grants the school districts have got.”
Sheriff Lott started his SRO Program 25 years ago. Lott said there are 97 SRO's in Richland County.
“We have school resource officers in every elementary, middle school, two of them in high schools and also our alternative schools so we cover all the schools.”
According to Lott, the average cost officer is around $65,000 to $70,000 a year including salary, benefits, and training.
"So funding really is not something we argue about. We look at what they can afford what we can afford AND how can we have a school resource officer"
The Governor's office tells News 19 Workforce shortages have "hindered recruitment efforts to an extent". To counter this, this year’s executive budget proposed a proviso that would help to fill open SRO jobs statewide. Here is that passage from the budget:
In addition, this budget includes a proviso removing the $10,000 retirement cap for anyone enrolled in PORS, which limits the pay of retirees who return to work for state or local agencies. In previous budgets, Governor McMaster has pledged to place a school resource officer in every school, in every county – all day, every day. Removing this cap will incentivize retired law enforcement to return to work in schools and in other law enforcement organizations to help us ensure that all our people are safe.