As reported by the Cumberland Times-News, the county school board, sheriff and commissions have all contributed to bring additional security to Allegany’s schools.  The Allegany County Board of Education voted this week to approve the School Safety and Security Committee’s recommendation to hire a combination of retired officers and school resource officers to provide additional school security.  The Committee was assembled by Sheriff Craig Robertson.  As described,

The board voted to authorize Superintendent of Schools David Cox to hire recently retired, experienced, physically fit, competent, capable law enforcement professionals to provide armed protection in the schools outside of the city limits of Frostburg and Cumberland on a one-year trial basis.

The board also voted with four in favor and one opposed to support Sheriff Craig Robertson in hiring school resource officers for placement in schools as training and certifications are completed.

Commissioner Bill Valentine, ex officio member of the Allegany County School Board and a member of MACo’s Education Committee, indicated he would also seek legislation for funding of the school resource officers (SROs) on an annual basis, as reported by the Times-News.

“The best protection is to stop the guy before it gets to the school house and that’s where the sheriff can really help out,” Commissioner Valentine was quoted as saying, while School Board members all expressed their gratitude to Sheriff Robertson and the School Safety and Security Committee that he put together.

According to the Times-News, the county commissioners have allocated the sheriff $190,000 to implement his plan.

For more information, see the full story from the Times-News.