Chattanooga: Resource officers a topic at sheriff candidate forum

The issue of school resource officers in Hamilton County Schools was one of several topics discussed at Monday night’s sheriff’s election forum.

The 90-minute event, hosted by the Southeast Tennessee Political Action Committee at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, featured Republican Jim Hammond, Democrat Greg Beck, independent candidates Tim Akins and Jim Winters and write-in candidate Fred Fuson.

Candidates were asked their goals on the matter of having an officer at every school in the system and how large a priority it would be.

Mr. Hammond, a former chief deputy in the sheriff’s department, said “the SRO program will continue as it is at this point.”

He acknowledged that the SRO initiative is costly and said he would want to convene a group of school officials, judicial representatives, county commissioners and others to tackle the SRO issue.

Mr. Beck, a county commissioner and former sheriff’s deputy, said schools should be “covered as much as possible.”

“But I don’t particularly think that every school has to have a resource officer,” he said.

Mr. Fuson said students need to have a safe educational environment. But he said the SRO program is expensive.

“To expand the program, it’s going to require more money,” he said.

Mr. Akins said the County Commission should be approached for financial assistance with the program.

“I know that may mean raising taxes or whatever and that’s a dirty word, but the money’s got to be there,” he said.

Mr. Winters said while SROs are a priority for him, his top issue is addressing gang and drug problems. But he said he would like to see retired individuals with law enforcement backgrounds serve as SROs.

“I still think we need to utilize some of our retired FBI agents or retired law enforcement officers,” he said.

For complete details, check out tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.