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School Deputy Contract On Hold

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By RONNIE BLAIR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - A contract that puts sheriff's deputies in public schools is on hold while the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners continues its budget debates today.

The Pasco County School Board was set Tuesday to renew the contract for school resource officers when Superintendent Heather Fiorentino pulled the item from the agenda at the request of Sheriff Bob White.

White, who has been asked by the county commission to trim his budget requests, wanted to delay the renewal until he knows how large his budget will be, Fiorentino said. The county commission sets the sheriff's budget.

Elimination of school resource officers - especially those assigned to elementary schools - has come up in county commission discussions as a possible way to cut expenses.

That's a concern to the school district, which pays for most of the cost of the officers. The deputies work on the campuses, investigating crimes and presenting programs to the students.

'I think you all see the need for having SROs, especially at the secondary level,' Fiorentino told the board.

Fiorentino said crossing guards and traffic control officers also have been mentioned by the county in its cost-saving efforts.

Crossing guards, at least, are probably safe, Fiorentino said. 'I believe the sheriff will be leaving crossing guard funding where we have it,' she said.

Although board members delayed action on the sheriff's contract, they renewed school resource officer contracts with police departments in New Port Richey, Dade City and Zephyrhills.

Resource officers are assigned to all middle and high schools. The contract with the sheriff also stations deputies at four elementary schools.

Fiorentino said those officers respond to other elementary schools when something occurs that requires a deputy.

Without the resource officers, schools would call for a road deputy whenever emergencies arise on campuses, which could prove even costlier for the sheriff's office, Fiorentino said.

The school board spends about $1.3 million a year on the sheriff's deputies, paying their salaries and benefits for the 180 days of the school year. The sheriff pays for the officers the rest of the year when they are assigned to other duties.

The school board also pays 60 percent of the salary of a lieutenant who oversees the resource officers. The sheriff pays 40 percent of the lieutenant's salary. The sheriff pays for other supervisory personnel and support personnel assigned to the resource officer program.

School board member Allen Altman questioned how much the county could save by cutting resource officers, considering the school board funds the bulk of the program.

The status of the school resource officer program could be clearer after today's county commission meeting, sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said.

The contract with the school board included new resource officers, he said. 'I think the SROs we currently have are OK,' Doll said. 'But any additional might be in jeopardy.'

Meanwhile, school board members have their own budget concerns.

They are bracing for a possible funding cut after the Legislature meets this month in special session to deal with a statewide budget shortfall.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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