Perry County Commission votes to add security resource officers to public schools

The Perry County Commission voted 3-1 to add security resource officers to the public schools of the county, said an announcement from Commissioner Albert Turner, Jr. 

Turner's announcement said that he met with Perry County Sheriff Billy Jones and Superintendent Dr. Marcia Smiley on providing security to Francis Marion High School in Marion and Robert C. Hatch High School in Uniontown. 

Turner cited the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 that took 26 lives as a motivation in getting additional protection for the schools. A truancy officer will also serve as chief of security. 

Turner said that each officer will be in direct communication with the Sheriff's Department. 

"Chairman Turner said the MOU signed is an example of working together to address a potential problem. Perry County is not too small to address school violence," Turner's post said.

"Sheriff Jones said that his priority is securing the schools against deadly violence. Students will feel much safer with the visible presence of the Sheriff's Department. Patents (sic) will also know that their children will be under the watchful eye of law enforcement." 

Turner added that the school system has established a task force of Perry County law enforcement officers in contact with state and federal authorities as backup.