JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department plans to increase the number of school resource officers at Coffee County Schools by adding three additional positions utilizing state funding.

One additional SRO will be added to both Coffee County Central High School and Coffee County Middle School, while a third officer will now be at the KOSS Center alternative school to serve as a “rover,” filling in as needed across the district.

“I’ve got the high school covered,” Sheriff Chad Partin said. “I have two fine young men going to the academy in July and coming back they will be going into the high school.”

Partin said that these schools’ footprints require the additional officers.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed strong school safety legislation into law May 10 and recognized the investment of more than $230 million to strengthen safety at public and private schools across Tennessee.

During the June 8 Law Enforcement Commission meeting, Partin cautioned commissioners not to overcommit the county with extra positions, believing the state funds will likely dry up after a few budgets leaving the county on the hook for any extra salaries.

“I do not want to be hung out,” Partin said “How long will (this state money) across 1,800 schools in the state be reoccurring?”

“We want to be disciplined and be realist that a new governor or a new legislative body comes in and then we’re hung out to dry and have to come up with millions of dollars to (fund) those positions,” Partin added.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.