The City of Fort Mitchell has approved the sponsorship of a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) at Blessed Sacrament School. In a decision made during the city council meeting on October 13, 2023, officials emphasized their commitment to ensuring student safety, despite the school being a private institution.
The move follows a year of discussions, initiated when Blessed Sacrament School approached Fort Mitchell to request support for the SRO position. The city council recognized that the school is unable to hire its own officer without local government sponsorship, leading to the recent decision to enter into a contract with the school.
During the meeting, Mayor Jude Hehman highlighted the city’s internal candidate for the role. “We’ve got a great internal candidate that will need to be interviewed by Blessed Sacrament School to move forward,” Hehman stated. If this candidate is selected, Fort Mitchell will need to fill the resulting vacancy within its police department, necessitating the hiring of an additional full-time officer.
Financially, the city anticipates an annual cost of approximately $80,000 for the SRO position. Fort Mitchell will need to adjust its annual budget accordingly, although Hehman reassured council members, saying, “Historically, we have come in under budget on expenses most every year. So, I don’t worry that hiring a school resource officer will hurt us financially.” Additionally, Blessed Sacrament School will contribute funds to the overall initiative.
Negotiations for the contract between Fort Mitchell and Blessed Sacrament School are currently underway, with the hope that an agreement will be reached soon. “Ideally, we’d have the officer start in this school year,” Hehman added. “We want them to get to know the school and the kids as soon as possible.”
As this initiative progresses, it reflects the city’s proactive approach to enhancing safety measures for students in their community. The collaboration between Fort Mitchell and Blessed Sacrament School demonstrates a commitment to fostering a secure educational environment for all students.
