Farmington Looks to Expand School Resource Officer Program

The Farmington Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize the town manager to apply for a grant that would allow the town to expand its school resource officer program.

“With the new push on community officers in schools, we may have a little bit better of a chance," Town Manager Kathleen Eagen told the council. 

The Farmington Police Department already provides a school resource officer for Farmington High School, as well as a youth officer, according to Eagen. 

If the town is awarded the COPS grant, the plan is to assign a police officer to be stationed at Irving A. Robbins Middle School and West Woods Elementary as school resource officer. The position, not currently included in the budget for 2013-14, would also include time devoted to all public schools in Farmington, town officials said. 

The federal grant from the United States Department Of Justice would cover 75 percent "of an entry level police officer salary and benefits, not to exceed $125,000 over the three year grant period," according to the agenda materials reviewed by the council. The base salary for an entry level police officer in Farmington is about $50,000, Assistant Town Manager Erica Robertson told the council. 

“This is actually a need we’re looking to fill and the grant happens to coincide with the need," Town Councilman CJ Thomas said at the meeting.