In the wake of last week’s County Commission meeting held in Lawrenceburg, the newly approved budget is set to benefit numerous local businesses and essential services. For the fiscal year 2023–2024, Tennessee has introduced the Statewide School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Grant, aimed at placing a dedicated SRO in every public K–12 institution across the state. Lawrence County, which has already secured funding for SROs in all its schools, will receive an annual allocation of $1,050,000 from this initiative, translating to $75,000 for each school.
Sheriff John Myers has expressed the need to retain these funds within his budget to provide essential salary increases and to mitigate the turnover rate among deputies and correctional officers. Initially, Myers agreed to postpone this request as the county needed to allocate some of the funds to other pressing areas. However, the county has since made strides in enhancing the pay scale for the sheriff’s department. Recently, the commissioners approved a three percent salary increase, which will effectively reintegrate the original SRO funding back into Myers’ budget. This adjustment will enable the department to offer salaries that are competitive with those in neighboring counties and cities.
This strategic move is expected to address the issue of new officers leaving shortly after their training for slightly higher-paying positions elsewhere, ensuring that the investments made in their uniforms and training do not go to waste. The overall impact of these budgetary decisions is anticipated to strengthen law enforcement in the community while supporting the educational environment in local schools.