State Representative Scott Baltz of Pocahontas wants to require all public schools to have at least one school resource officer on each campus. Baltz, whose District 61 includes portions of Baxter, Fulton, Sharp and Randolph counties, says protecting children is his number one priority.
Baltz wants to use the state’s surplus money to fund this initiative, which could cost up to $40 million. His plan is already getting pushback. KATV reports Senator Trent Garner of El Dorado says requiring SROs at every school is not the answer.
Baltz tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news having school resource officers is a topic that has been discussed ever since he has been in the legislature. After equipping schools with panic buttons, he says it’s time to take the next step.
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Baltz says 316 schools had resource officers at the time of a survey in November 2017. His initiative would require an additional 1,053 officers on public school campuses and 35 more at charter facilities.
Baltz says, “If you can’t take care of the problem within a second or second and a half, you’re going to be part of the problem.” He says, You can’t ask little Johnny or little Suzie to put the gun down, you have to be able to take care of the problem. An armed resource officer will be trained to do that.”
Rep. Baltz added legislators were told last week the state has a $151 million surplus, and funds from that surplus could be used to pay a flat salary across the state.
Baltz says if districts decide they want to pay more, they can, but it would come from their funds.
As an example, he says the Pocahontas school district has four campuses and the Salem school district has two. Each one has one SRO, so Salem wouldn’t need but one more officer, but that’s a backup for that person, and in those rural areas you must have that.
While no action can be taken on this until 2019, Sen. Garner is already against this bill.
Sen. Garner also supports arming teachers, while Rep. Baltz does not.
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Sen. Garner says the mission has to be able to protect our children, and we have to invest to make sure that happens, but the problem is we’re putting all that money in one area. He says one solution will not solve this problem. Ideas like his safe plan has many different approaches.
Baltz says others are advocating for tax cuts from the surplus funding.
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Sen. Garner added, relying on the surplus is financially irresponsible because that surplus can change every year.
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