New Laurel funding seeks to bond youth with law enforcement

Superintendent, Sean Larrimore, tells 47 ABC that a few years back the state stopped funding school resource officers at Laurel middle and high school.

In 2008 the recession hit and this impacted everyone, especially school districts. And it was here that tough decisions had to be made especially in Laurel. For the last four years Laurel high school has been the only school in the county without an armed resource officer and though that hasn’t effected the curriculum, Laurel police department decided to change that.

Chief Dan Wright worked with the town manager, Jamie Smith and applied for a grant.

“We were very very fortunate to get it,” said Chief Dan Wright.

Laurel middle and high school has been awarded a $125,000 cop grant. This will be distributed over the course of three years, all going toward providing the campus with an on site officer.

“This is going to be a bonding thing,” explains Chief Dan Wright. “Children are going to come in here, young adults and get to interact on a daily basis with a police officer get to know them personally and understand what we do.”

And the middle and high school principals agree.

“Sometimes there’s not a natural relationship between the police and the community, said middle school principle Dr. Rick Evans. “I think that that’s always our goal, to have a relationship and a positive relationship. And I think that’s the opportunity here to have a police officer in the school in a non threatening way.”

High school principle Matthew Marine adds, “I feel like this will impact out students in a positive way just by building that relationship with the police officers and give them someone they can go to and talk to and really just forge a relationship that will go beyond their school days and beyond their years here.”

The Superintendent tells us that the new resource officer will be firm and fair but most of all, a child advocate. Laurel’s Chief, Dan Wright, tells us the new resource officer will be acclimated into Laurel middle and high school by December 1st.