In a letter sent to Florida Governor Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, the Florida Sheriff's Association asked for proper funding to assist school resource officers.
In the letter, they addressed that "Since last month’s tragic event at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, sheriffs have been part of the statewide effort to bring forward solutions to keep our students safe. The welfare of our youth has always been a top priority for the sheriffs in Florida. We strongly believe both the House and Senate must pass comprehensive legislation this year to address a wide variety of school safety issues."
The Association goes on to explain that "Sheriffs fully support having all schools assigned a sworn sheriff’s deputy or police officer present on our school campuses. To achieve this end, sheriffs strongly believe the top priority must be additional state funding to ensure schools have a certified law enforcement officer ready to serve as a school resource officer (SRO). SRO programs emphasize the importance of collaboration between school officials and local law enforcement by promoting a community-based approach to school violence. Increasing the number of SROs on school campuses will greatly enhance school safety and protect students, teachers, and administrators."
Finally, they assure that they "are in the business of saving lives, and none are more precious than the lives of our children. We believe state funding for SROs is the best way to prevent another tragedy from occurring in our schools. The Florida Legislature must make funding school resource officers their top priority.”
