CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The Clay County sheriff is making a push to get deputies in junior high schools.
Currently, only Clay County high schools have school resource officers.
According to Sheriff Darryl Daniels, the Clay County Sheriff's Office has received 319 calls for law enforcement service in the county's schools so far in 2017. He told News4Jax on Monday that while most calls were from high schools, 76 were from middle schools.
The Clay County Commission voted earlier this month to allow Daniels to apply for a federal Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, grant.
Daniels said he has a good feeling that Clay County will get the funding.
"I think we have a need in Clay County. There was time when we had SROs (school resource officers) in junior high schools, as well as high schools. Due to budgetary restraints, the decision was made years ago to pull those SROs from the junior high schools," Daniels said. "It's a concern of mine when, during the course of a day, a third of the population in Clay County was in the school system. As sheriff of Clay County, I'm committed to protecting those assets, our future resources, our children."
But that's not to say it's not already there on some level. Bruce Darling and his wife live across the street from Orange Park Junior High School.
"Every morning, there's a policeman who sits there for the whole time that kids are coming and going. And once in awhile, you'll see them up here -- sometimes two cars," Darling said.
Other parents, including Ronda and Robert Knutson, said they support Daniels' push to get the federal grant.
"I think it's a great idea. There's a lot of bullying situations going on. I think it would help with that," Ronda Knutson said.
The Knutsons said they would welcome SROs because they pulled their son out of school due to bullying and home-schooled him for awhile. They said they are now returning him to Green Cove Junior High School.
"I think it adds an extra layer of protection in the modern world. So many things are happening to other communities and problems and other schools. I like the extra protection, knowing my child is safe in class," Robert Knutson said.
Clay County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis put out a statement in support, saying, in part, "This partnership will allow the Sheriff's Office to build positive relationships with our youth, lead as student advocates and gain access to our students."
Daniels said they will know by August whether Clay County will get the COPS grant. If fully approved and funded, Clay County will get a total of 15 officers this October -- six for junior highs, eight for community policing and one for the Police Athletic League. The grant would fund the officers for three years.