The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office will take over School Resource Officer duties for the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District under an agreement approved this week.
Sheriff Tyree Davis said Wednesday that his office was first approached about assuming SRO responsibilities for the district approximately two weeks ago. The agreement between the sheriff’s office and school district has now been signed.
The move will require the sheriff’s office to add five SRO positions — four full-time and one part-time.
Current RRGSD school resource officers who want to remain in their positions will be required to apply through the sheriff’s office. Davis said those officers will be given priority for the positions and may continue serving in their existing roles if they successfully complete the certification process required by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission.
The sheriff’s office already provides school resource officers for Halifax County Schools, Weldon City Schools and Halifax Academy.
Davis acknowledged that completing the transition will take time but said security coverage will continue while the new arrangement is implemented.
On-duty and off-duty sheriff’s deputies, along with Roanoke Rapids Police Department officers, have already been providing security on RRGSD campuses. According to Davis, the school district has agreed to pay off-duty deputies and police officers to provide security until the transition is completed.
“We understand that this transition will take time, but one thing will not wait — the safety of our children,” Davis said.
Davis said he wants the deputies assigned to the schools to become part of the school community rather than simply provide a law enforcement presence.
“Our SROs will be there not only to respond when something goes wrong, but to build relationships before anything ever does,” Davis said. “They will get to know students, work alongside teachers and staff, support our families, and be a trusted presence on campus.”
Davis also emphasized the responsibility deputies will have to respond in the event of an emergency.
“If your child is in danger, our deputies will not hesitate to put themselves between that child and the threat,” he said.
Davis, who is a father of two, framed the new responsibility as both professional and personal.
“As long as I wear this badge and serve as Sheriff, every child in Halifax County is my child,” Davis said. “I don’t see ‘mine’ and ‘yours.’ I see our children.”
He said parents entrust schools and law enforcement with what is most important to them each morning when they send their children to school.
“Those children deserve more than an officer standing at a school entrance,” Davis said. “They deserve adults who know them, who care about them, who will listen to them, and who will stand up for them when they need someone to do so.”
Davis said protecting students will remain one of his highest priorities as sheriff.
“At the end of the day, this isn’t simply about HCSO taking over SRO duties,” Davis said. “It is about taking responsibility for our children.”
“These are our children. Their safety is our responsibility. And we will protect them like they are our own,” he said. “That isn’t just a promise I make as Sheriff. It’s a promise I make as a father.”
