NPS approves the addition of a third school resource officer

NORFOLK, Neb. -- During Monday's board of education meeting, Norfolk Public Schools approved the hiring of a new school resource officer.

Currently, the district has two SROs, one which serves at the high school, while the other splits time between the junior high and middle school.

However, according to officer Brent Tietz, who works at both the junior high and middle school, splitting time between the two has been difficult. 

Tietz said this has resulted in him not being called to the middle school unless it was as a last resort. With the addition of a third SRO, time could be equally split between the three officers at the middle school, junior high, and senior high, Tietz said.

The decision was unanimously approved by the board in a 5-0 vote.

The Norfolk Police Division and Norfolk Public Schools will split the costs for the new officer.

According to Norfolk Police Chief Don Miller, it will take some time before an officer is selected for this position. Miller says this is because the position will need to be a new officer who will require proper training. Miller says it may take up to a year before the SRO officer is installed within the district.