In a joint agreement between the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and the Lafayette Parish School System, every public school in the Parish will now be home to a school resource officer.

Sheriff's spokesman John Mowell said the agreement ensures every board-operated school in the parish will be staffed with a qualified officer who will be managed by the Sheriff's Office.

"It's great for law enforcement to have that person within the school environment," Mowell said. "But it's also great for the school environment to have that resource available to then on their campus."

LPSS School Board Member Justin Centanni told KPEL Wednesday school safety has become a top priority for school administrators. The district's 2018-19 proposed budget included an additional $500, 000 for school resource officers and an additional $700,000 for a line item listed "school safety contingencies."

Before this agreement, school resource officers could be found at every high school and middle school in the parish, Now, the presence of an armed, uniformed officer will be extended to all grades K-12.

Mowell said the presence of resource officers on school campuses gives students a direct outlet to channel any issues they have whether it be on, or off, of the campus.

" Having that uniformed law enforcement presence right there gives them access to somebody who can help them beyond those borders beyond the school, "   Mowell said.

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