Selma City Schools hires two out of three SROs to patrol campuses

The Selma City School District has hired two school resource officers and says a third officer will be hired soon.

The new officers, Gregory Johnson and Jamie Martin, will work for Selma City Schools and the Selma Police Department “to serve the needs of the school community,” the district said in a news release.

“SROs are not just ‘cops’ on campus,” Superintendent Zickeyous Byrd said in a social media post. “They teach law-related education and other relevant topics, counsel students on various concerns, provide a safe, secure campus, and are involved in students’ lives as positive role models.” 

Byrd said the “positive experiences officers have with the students will bridge the gap between law enforcement and the youth of our community.”

Officers Johnson and Martin will be on duty from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, primarily serving Selma High School, R.B. Hudson STEAM Academy and the Alternative School, according to the news release. They will extend their support to other schools upon request.

Selma City Schools hopes to build a "triad" concept model, that divides the SRO’s responsibilities into three areas: teacher, counselor, and law enforcer, according to the release.

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“We believe this initiative will contribute to a safer and more supportive environment for our students and staff,” Byrd said. “Not only are our officers highly trained, but we also anticipate they will serve in multifaceted roles such as mentors, initial first responders and counselors when called upon.”

The release describes hiring the SROs is a “strategic partnership between the Selma City Police Department and the SCS” and “a shared commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.”

“These officers will serve as the crucial links between the city's police department, the Selma Board of Education, and our schools, offering information and solutions to potential issues,” the release states.

Martin said he hopes “students will approach us with the challenges they may have with their peers and out in the community so we can address their safety concerns.” Johnson said, “I am thrilled to return home and contribute to making the Selma City School district one of the safest in the state.”

Selma schools have dealt with numerous public safety issues over the last few years, including the death of a student from fentanyl in the Selma High cafeteria in November 2022. A recent violent weekend of shooting among students and threats of violence on campus prompted administration to put the high school and alternative school on virtual learning for a week earlier this month. It also sparked Byrd to push harder for the police department to help hire SROs on campus.

“I am thrilled to finally have a School Resource Officer Program in Selma City Schools,” Byrd said. “This has been one of my endeavors for the past two years. It’s going to have a lasting, positive impact on our school community.”