BEULAH — Benzie County Central Schools will have its new resource officer in place by the first of the year, though it may take a little longer to get an officer in the Frankfort-Elberta district.

Both districts will also use state grants to install equipment meant to keep students and staff a little safer.

The Benzie officer will be a regular employee of the Benzie County Sheriff's Office, but there's a question as to whether the Frankfort Schools officer should be employed by the county or by the Frankfort Police Department.

Both positions are being funded by a four-year, 0.18-mill tax passed by voters Nov. 6. The tax will be placed on the December tax bills and will generate an estimated $226,526 in its first year.

Because the county-wide tax is collected by the county, an agreement would have to be made with the City of Frankfort as to how the funding of the position would be done.

Chief Robert Lozowski of the Frankfort Police Department has been involved with the process of providing officers for the two districts from the idea's inception earlier this year. The intent was always to have one city officer and one county officer, he said.

"The thinking is that the city officer could provide a better service to the local community because they're housed in that community," Lozowski said.

The department has two full-time officers, neither of whom is interested in the position, he said, and one part-time summer officer.

Lozowski said the Frankfort City Council has not yet decided whether to hire a third officer for the district.

Jeff Tousley, superintendent of Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools, said he is hoping a decision can be made by the end of December.

"We're really looking at this as a partnership between the schools and the law enforcement agencies," Tousley said. "I'm excited about the school resource officer regardless of which agency they fall under."

In the Benzie district the position will be filled by Geoff Miller, who has been a sheriff's deputy for about seven years. Miller is a seasoned officer, has been partly filling the role for about the last year and is interested in doing it full-time, said Kyle Rosa, Benzie County undersheriff.

"We feel that the voters have spoken and we want to get this off the ground as soon as possible," Rosa said. "The citizens have spoken and any delay does them a disservice."

Both districts have also received Michigan State Police school safety grants, with the Frankfort district receiving $137,000 and Benzie Central receiving $44,000.

State lawmakers earmarked $25 million in grant money for school safety following the killing of 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The money was funneled through the MSP for things like upgraded door locks and security systems meant to protect students and staff.

Tousley said his district will use the grant money to install the SmartBoot System that uses a heavy, steel 'boot' that is dropped into holes drilled in the floor to hold classroom doors shut in case of an attacker. The system also sends a signal to every classroom, to school offices and to local police agencies that there is a problem in the school.

Nothing can completely prevent an attack, but it is another layer of safety, Tousley said.

"Our goal is never having to activate this system, but if we do it gets kids to safe spots as quickly as possible," he said, adding that the system will likely be in place for the 2019-'20 school year.

The idea to have permanent officers in the two schools was also prompted by the Parkland shooting.

The Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, Frankfort Police, superintendents from both districts and more formed a School Safety and Security Committee to explore ways to put an officer in each district.

The Sheriff's Office is currently working with the Benzie district on defining the role of the school officer, which Rosa said will not include disciplining kids for things like chewing gum.

Tousley and Matt Olson, superintendent of Benzie Central Schools, also do not see the officer dealing with truancy issues, but being proactive in becoming aware of potential problems students may be having before they act out on them.

"This is not a person we want sitting in our door waiting for something to happen," he said.

Tousley says the officer will have to be approachable, be comfortable with students of all ages, and able to relate to kids. The idea is to get to know students on a personal level and help them work through what they need to work through and to be a person for them to talk about their frustrations with, he said.

"Growing up is hard," he said.

Trending Video