Land O’ Lakes, FL – (May 1, 2018) – The Pasco County School Board approved Superintendent Kurt Browning’s proposal to hire a director of school safety and security and up to 50 school safety guards at this morning’s school board meeting.
The 2018 Florida Legislature passed, and the governor signed into law, SB 7026, requiring all school districts to provide security at all schools beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. The Legislature also provided funding in the bill. Districts were given three options to choose from in order to meet this requirement. The options are:
(1) provide school resource officers (SRO) at each school,
(2) provide school safety officers for each school or,
(3) participate in the school guardian program requiring certain school personnel to be armed.
Additionally, the law requires each district to appoint a school safety specialist, which is the director of school safety and security position approved by the board.
“Although my preference would have been to pursue option one, providing an SRO on each school campus, funding constraints made that option unattainable,” said Browning.
To see the job descriptions and responsibilities for both positions, the estimated associated costs, and the superintendent’s proposal, click here. The job advertisements already have been posted on the district website and Facebook page.
The district is hosting two recruitment and interview events for the school safety guard positions on May 10 and May 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in building 2 of the district office complex. Interviews for the director position will be May 10 and 11.
All middle and high schools will continue to be staffed with an SRO through the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments.
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