Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jun 2008
Source: Times, The (Gainesville, GA)
Copyright: 2008 Gainesville Times
Contact:  http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2701
Author: Stephen Gurr
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs)

Hard Work By Hall's School Resource Officers Earns National Honor

New public safety programs in Hall County's schools,  from drug dogs 
to driver education, have earned the  Hall County Sheriff's Office a 
national distinction.

Meanwhile, a private citizen has come forward to  purchase two more 
dogs that will be used for periodic  checks in high school halls.

The 13 deputies who serve as school resource officers  for the Hall 
County school system's six high schools  and six middle schools are 
being recognized with the  Model School Resource Officer Agency Award 
by the  National Association of School Resource Officers. The  award 
will be presented at the association's annual  conference next month.

The school district pays for 70 percent of the expenses  for the 
school resource officers.

In the past two years, the sheriff's office added two  drug dogs that 
are trained to sniff out marijuana,  cocaine and methamphetamine. The 
dogs are based out of  North Hall High School and East Hall High 
School, and  make the rounds at the other high schools.

A private contribution of $15,000 will fund two  additional drug 
dogs, Hall County sheriff's Maj. Jeff  Strickland said. The donor, 
who wishes to remain  anonymous, came forward after learning of the 
successes  with the current "K-9" program in the schools,  Strickland said.

One school resource officer is currently training in  North Carolina 
with a new dog. It will be in place at  Johnson High School by the 
opening of the school year  this fall, Strickland said. A fourth dog 
will be added  later in the year, he said.

The sheriff's office also added a rewards program in  the schools 
that pays $200 for every confidential tip  that leads to a drug arrest.

Since summer 2007, the program has paid out $6,200. The  school board 
and sheriff's office split the cost of the  program, with the 
sheriff's money coming from seized  funds.

School resource officers in the middle schools teach  the sheriff's 
Gang Resistance Education Program to new  sixth-graders.

The sheriff's resource officer-taught teen driver  program was 
revamped in 2008 with a new curriculum that  corresponds with new 
state requirements. The program is  funded through private donations. 
About 1,100 students  will have attended the free program by the end 
of the  summer.

The model school resource officer program award is  given out 
annually to a law enforcement agency that has  shown excellence in 
several areas.

"I am extremely proud of our school resource officers,"  Hall County 
Sheriff Steve Cronic said. "They have all  worked extremely hard as a 
team and are well-deserving.  I also appreciate the partnership 
between the sheriff's  office and the Hall County Board of Education."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom