Sue Kiesewetter reports:
Butler County sheriff’s deputies will be stopping by county schools every day beginning this week through a new initiative being launched this week to help make schools safer.
Sheriff Richard K. Jones on Monday announced the start of Operation Safe School, which is designed to have a deputy stop by any school in his or her geographical patrol area every day that school is in session.
“Sheriff Jones takes the safety of our children very seriously and will strive to maintain a safe learning environment for the citizens of Butler County,” said Lt. John A. Sons, in a statement.
Operation Safe School applies to any school – public, private by request – located in the sheriff’s jurisdiction or shared jurisdiction, said Sons, the road patrol supervisor in charge of the initiative.
“The visits will not be scheduled; they’ll be random,” Sons said. “The deputies will be stopping by every day. It’s a little bit of extra school safety.”
Lakota Schools spokesman Randy Oppenheimer said the district welcomes the sheriff’s efforts, particularly since the visits will be random.
“The presence of law enforcement in our schools is always great,” Oppenheimer said. “Sheriff Jones faces a very tough budget situation and we very much appreciate that he’s doing everything he can for schools even with limited resources.’’
The deputies would not replace school resource officers.
