The City of Cape Coral is working to help the Lee County Sheriff's Office add school resource officers to every campus next school year. City leaders will meet Monday afternoon to go over how to fund the extra 22 school resource officers. The city council agenda states, they will discuss reimbursing the new SRO applicants for relocation expenses.
In order to get enough people who are sworn officers and properly trained, out of state applicants will get $2500 of relocation money. In state applicants will get $1500. They are also planning to get a new sergeant, and buy 23 vehicles.
This new policy covers public and charter schools in Cape Coral, and is a result of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. It requires every school in Florida to have a safety officer.
Previously, the Lee County Sheriff's Office would provide the officers. but under this new plan, Cape Coral Police Department would provide school resource officers for the city.
It could cost about $50,000 per officer. The Lee County School Board will foot half the bill per officer. The relocation expenses will be incorporated into the city's manager 2019 fiscal year budget.
The meeting will be at 4:30 Monday afternoon at Cape Coral’s city hall.
