By URIAH KISER
DUMFRIES, Va. — Dumfries Elementary will become the first primary school in Prince William County with a full-time police school resource officer.
Move comes as a mixed Town Council Tuesday night approved a motion to hire a new police officer who will be trained and posted at the school that has just over 500 students. The push to hire and implement the new officer into the town’s $4 million budget was made by Councilwoman Kristen Forrester following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December that left 20 children and six adults dead.
Dumfries Town Manager Daniel Taber will report back to the Council on March 19 to update officials on the hiring process and implementation of the new officer. It’s not clear how much will be required to fund the new position, and the new SRO will be in addition to a vacant police officer job on the town’s force that has went unfilled for months. Currently, Dumfries has 10 police officers but not all have been working full shifts due to personal reasons.
Currently in Prince William County, SROs are stationed at all 11 high schools and four officers are rotated among 16 middle schools.
Those who opposed the measure, including Mayor Jerry Foreman, Councilman Charles Brewer, and Councilwoman Gwen Washington who works at the elementary school during the day, urged town officials prior to the vote to instead open more dialogue with officials in Prince William County’s schools and police departments, as well as speak with Prince William Potomac District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan on the matter.
Prince William Public Schools spokeswoman Irene Cromer was unable to comment on the situation Wednesday, and many school staffers appeared to be surprised by the move.
“Dumfries Elementary is in the Town of Dumfries but the school belongs to Prince William County,” said Washington prior to the vote to approve the measure. “There are a few things we still need to discuss with the School Board, and we need to talk to the principal of the school to find out if this fits into their overall plan.”
All who spoke against immediatley funding the SRO position said they are in favor of keeping young children safe inside the classroom, but said more time is needed to formulate a solid plan.
“Why is this even being put to a vote tonight?” asked Brewer. “We have no input from the county, no formal input from our police chief …this is like putting the cart before the horse here.”
Forrester said she favored moving full steam ahead with the plan and urged officials to commit to implementing the SRO position and work through the finite details later in the year.
Taking into account training for the new officer, Foreman said it could be the start of the new school year in September when the SRO is in place.
Recent Stories
On June 30th, at 03:16 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Spotswood Drive for a domestic disturbance involving a firearm.
On June 25, 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 18 bipartisan bills aimed at enhancing support for individuals with developmental disabilities.
A Woodbridge man suspected of shooting and killing a 52-year-old man was arrested last night in Spotsylvania County.
The University of Mary Washington’s Continuing & Professional Studies Department’s Business Acumen Series has three more events this year.
On June 22, 2024, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Ball, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, seated in Prince William County, VA, awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students through the chapter’s foundation, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. These scholarships will support their college journeys at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Purdue University, Howard University, Shenandoah University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Cornell University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Norfolk State University. The event highlighted the commitment of the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund to fostering academic excellence and supporting the educational aspirations of young scholars in our community.
FREE Leadership Sessions will be conducted at the George Mason University –Arlington Campus for High School Latinas. The program runs from Monday 7/15 through Friday 7/19 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM EST each day (1-week).
Las sesiones de liderazgo GRATUITAS se llevarán a cabo en el campus de George Mason University – Arlington para latinas de secundaria. El programa se desarrollará desde el lunes 15 de julio hasta el viernes 19 de julio, de 10:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. EST cada dĂa (1 semana).
Our goal is to equip students with the fundamentals of self-promotion and guide them in shaping their personal brand for future success. What sets this program apart is its integration of self-awareness activities and mentorship by seasoned professionals.
Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of leadership dynamics on July 15th, participants delve into the intricacies of personal branding and etiquette on July 16th, followed by practical guidance on crafting compelling LinkedIn profiles and resumes on July 17th. July 18th emphasizes the art of storytelling through personal statements, while July 19th culminates in portfolio presentations, allowing participants to showcase their newfound skills. The program concludes on July 20th with a memorable graduation ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the ELITE Academy’s graduates and their journey towards leadership excellence.
