Four School Resource Officers will be assigned to protect Zanesville Schools

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-Zanesville will be designating four police officer as School Resource Officers as a way to increase safety in Zanesville City Schools.

With the addition of these four officers, Zanesville City Schools will have a total of five for the district. Fifth Ward City Council, Steven Foreman said adding these officers is a proactive approach to ensure students safety rather than be required to react after a problem occurs.

“We already have a presence, we have the vehicles there at the schools. The officers are in front of the schools in the mornings, around the schools in the mornings. That is something that in my opinion is invaluable and definitely, something welcomed by parents and citizens throughout the community,” said Foreman.

Foreman said Zanesville Schools will be paying 75 percent of those officers salaries. He said having an officer in the school each day creates an environment where the students feel comfortable with law enforcement.

“I always go back to the D.A.R.E program that’s what a lot of people remember. I say all the time it’s one of the most valuable things we ever did, but it was also one of the first things to get cut when money was tight. It’s not the D.A.R.E program, but it’s very similar and it certainly gives students to those connections because one of the most important things about that program was the connection,” said Foreman.

Starting next school year, there will be an officer at the high school, middle school, as well as an officer at the Zane Grey, National Road, and John McIntire Elementary Schools.