HENDERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DECIDE TO CONTINUE FUNDING SROs FOR 4 SCHOOLS IN CITY LIMITS

The future of funding for school resource officers at four schools in the Henderson County Public Schools system has more clarity after some discussion by leaders.

After the potential of pulling funding from office patrols in four schools, the Henderson County Commission decided to continue to help fund the program for the next fiscal year.

For a few years, the county funded four officers from Hendersonville Police Department to patrol the halls of the four county schools that fall within city limits.

At the commission’s budget retreat last week, the idea was brought up to pull out of that funding.

That would have left the city of Hendersonville with a decision to either fund its own officers in those buildings or have sheriff’s deputies take over.

However, in a press release sent out Wednesday, May 22, the commission determined it will continue to help fund the program going forward.

Wednesday evening, Hendersonville City Council and Mayor Barbara Volk released the following joint statement:

"The City of Hendersonville is pleased to learn that Henderson County will be funding Hendersonville Police Department School Resource Officers for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The City Council appreciates the Board of Commissioners willingness to listen to the concerns of the faculty, students and parents of the effected schools within the Hendersonville City Limits. The city is committed to working with Henderson County, Henderson County Public Schools, and Henderson County Sheriff’s Department to protect our students, teachers, and administration.

The Hendersonville Police Department School Resource Officers serve a critical role in supporting the school children in our city. Their specialized training allows them to deal with a wide range of issues facing our students. We believe that it is important that Hendersonville Police Department officers are in the Hendersonville schools to form critical relationships with our young people. This is the first step in fostering twenty-first century community policing. We look forward to continuing our service to these schools."