Lee County (FL) struggles to keep school resource officers

Budget cuts hit program

By DENES HUSTY III
dhusty@news-press.com

Educators, parents and law enforcement officials are lining up to oppose budget cuts that would scrap school resource officer programs at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cape Coral Police Department.

School resource officers are stationed in high schools, middle schools and elementary schools throughout Lee County, and officers are expected to interact with students and generally enforce law and order. They also counsel parents, coordinate police presence at school events and teach students how to combat gangs and substance abuse.

But economic difficulties and declining property values are forcing officials to look at all options for saving money, no matter how popular the program.

Cape Coral’s program costs $848,000 per year and has 13 officers and a sergeant. The sheriff’s $1.3 million program, which has 17 deputies, covers seven high schools and 10 middle schools in Bonita Springs, Estero, North Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres.
The Fort Myers Police Department plans to keep its $1.1 million program, which has seven full-time officers and nine part-time retired officers.

The Cape Coral City Council and the Lee County commission are expected to vote on the proposed cuts in September. Both budgets go into effect Oct. 1.

“The school resource officer program is extremely critical to the school system,” said James Browder, superintendent for Lee County public schools. Browder said he’ll meet with Sheriff Mike Scott and Cape Coral Police Chief Robert Petrovich in the next few weeks to discuss the proposed cuts and options.

“We’ll figure out something to keep that program in our schools,” Browder said.

Scott believes the school resource program is worthwhile, and he wants to keep it, according to sheriff’s spokesman Tony Schall.

Petrovich said he hopes the Cape Coral City Council can come up with at least some partial funding for the city’s program. He said, at minimum, at least eight officers and a supervising sergeant should be kept for the city’s four high schools, one alternative learning center and to rotate among the middle schools.

County Commissioner Bob Janes, who represents Cape Coral, said the Lee County School Board should pick up the tab for the entire program. The school board this year provided $595,000 on top of the amount the county paid to the sheriff’s office. The school district gave Cape Coral $409,000 besides the city’s contribution.

“I think it’s a sad day when we have to look at making these kind of cuts that affect our children. I hope we don’t go this route,” said Cape Councilman Tim Day.

Eric McFee, principal of Cape Coral High School, said the program goes far beyond keeping students in line.

“The school resource officer acts as a confidant, someone that students and parents can talk to. It would be a real shame to lose that program,” McFee said.

Tommy O’Connell, principal at South Fort Myers High School, agrees.

“The school resource officers have a working relationship with the kids at the schools. It makes a difference to have someone the kids know at games, dances and homecomings,” O’Connell said.

Some parents also oppose the proposed cuts.

“I think it’s important to have a law enforcement officer at the school to serve as a role model and to have someone present with the authority to enforce the law and handle situations beyond the scope of school officials,” said Shawn Harvey of Cape Coral, whose son, Alex, 16, attends Cape Coral High School.