NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lawmakers are trying to increase funding to hire 500 school resource officers and a measure passed the house floor earlier today.
As it turns out, there's unequal security coverage across the state of Tennessee. Right now 500 schools in Tennessee have no school resource officer. This bill is part of the governor's plan to change that.
The bill overwhelmingly passed through the House today and it's now headed to the governor's desk.
This bill would raise funding for school resource officers from 10 million dollars to about 50 million dollars including matching money from local governments.
It will increase the amount of school resource officers from 1300 in the state to 1800, putting trained officers in every school in the state.
The sponsor of this bill, Brandon Ogles (R-Franklin) says the purpose is to make sure all students are protected.
"The way the bill is written, they have to be school resource officers. They have to be state certified officers that have actually gone through the training and have the full duty belt and less than lethal options on their belt."
The sponsor hopes this funding will last for the next 10 years.
