Greenville Police will add six additional School Resource Officers

Greenville Police will add six additional School Resource Officers to city schools this year, funded with a $1.5 million grant from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. The grant builds on the momentum created with the previous year’s assignment of three new positions.

City Council accepted the grant Monday night, allowing the City to begin recruiting for the positions. The new officers will be assigned to Greenville Early College, Green Charter School, Lead Academy, Legacy Early College, AJ Whittenberg Elementary and Blythe Academy. The grant will pay for the officer’s salary, equipment, vehicle, computer and uniform.

Along with building relationships, School Resource Officers can present a positive image of policing. With this year’s grant, police continue to add positions at the elementary school level.

Last year, Greenville Police added three new resource officers at Sterling and West Greenville Elementary Schools and the Sullivan Center. Police currently cover 10 schools with 12 resource officers. JL Mann and Greenville High each have two SROs.