Pruett welcomes new SROs to district

By Crystal Burns

 

Gibson County Special School District (GCSSD) Director of Schools Eddie Pruett hosted the district’s five School Resource Officers (SRO) Monday morning, Oct. 12 to welcome three new officers to the district.

Through partnerships with local municipalities and the Gibson County Sheriff’s Department, the district recently hired Deputy Antonio Bufford for South Gibson County Elementary and Middle schools, Deputy Steve Morgan for Spring Hill and Yorkville schools, and Deputy Paul Merando for Dyer School. They join Deputy Dwayne Clark at South Gibson County High School and Lt. Kelvin Tosh at Gibson County High School. Tosh has been promoted to oversee all of the district’s SROs.

The Kenton SRO will start later this week. The Rutherford SRO position has not been filled yet.

Sheriff Paul Thomas oversaw the hiring process and worked with Pruett to place the officers. Officers are employees of the Sheriff’s Department, which the district reimburses to cover the SRO salaries. The Sheriff’s Department funds the officers’ training and equipment.

“I’m thankful for the cooperation between the county commission and the school board members to recognize the need for this,” Thomas said. “We look forward to building relationships with students, parents, and staff at each school.”

The district is receiving funding assistance from Gibson County, the City of Dyer, the Town of Rutherford, the City of Medina, and the Kenton Special School District. The district is using a state grant to help fund four of the five new SRO positions.

“We are appreciative of the partnership between the Sheriff’s Department, Gibson County, City of Dyer, Town of Rutherford, City of Medina, and the Kenton Special School District,” Pruett said. “We know that this will help protect our students and staff.”