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Livingston Parish one step closer to putting resource officers in every school

5 years 10 months 1 week ago Tuesday, May 15 2018 May 15, 2018 May 15, 2018 6:12 PM May 15, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ
By: WBRZ Staff

LIVINGSTON PARISH - Later this year, Livingston Parish residents will be voting on a half-cent sales tax that aims to put more resource officers in schools.

Earlier this year, parish leaders proposed placing a law enforcement officers in each public school. The suggestion came after a deadly February shooting in Parkland, Florida in which 17 people were killed.

Sheriff Jason Ard says deputies would offer an extra level of safety you can't get from teachers alone.

"We use a budget around 100 thousand... A deputy is not like a school teacher. A school teacher doesn't have a vehicle, they don't have to be trained like a police officer, there's a lot of training involved..." Ard said. "There's a lot of equipment involved."

At a public meeting Tuesday morning, a resolution to add the proposal to the November ballot was approved. Few residents were present at the public meeting to voice opposition or support.

Currently, the parish has seven resource officers spread out between its 45 campuses. If voters approve the tax, it would go into effect January 1st of 2019.

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