Sheriff Patrick Ray has announced the new School Resource Officer (SRO) name who will serve as an extra SRO at the DeKalb County High School and also as a fill-in SRO at other schools in DeKalb County.

Sheriff Ray asked the DeKalb County School Board to appropriate money from the School's Budget to help pay for the position.

Sheriff Ray says "I asked the School Board to appropriate a salary for an extra School Resource Officer in the 2024-2025 School Budget. There has been a need for an extra SRO at the High School because of the extra volume of investigations. We also had a problem when an SRO was out for sickness, we did not have another SRO to replace them. We had to take away the SRO, who was assigned to the Middle School, and move that officer within the 4 other schools in our county, leaving the Middle School unattended. The High School SRO was trying to protect not only the High School, but the Middle School also. I appreciate the School Board and Director Patrick Cripps for their help in this matter.

I have placed Deputy Jasmine Garza in this SRO position. She started as a Correctional Officer for me and was chosen to be sent to the Police Academy as a Deputy. She has been a Deputy for me for 2 years. I believe she will bring an abundance of resources to our SRO Program. I also believe having a female as an our SRO will be beneficial to the school system along with this program. It is very well known that most victims of crime, especially children, can talk and relate to a female officer easier than a male officer. I believe Deputy Garza will be a great Deputy for this kind of intervention. Also, a female Deputy will be able to better search females if the need arises.

Deputy Garza says "I have been with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department for 5 years. I spent 3  years in corrections and 2 years as a road deputy. I believe that it is time for me to work in another position, and that is why I put in for SRO. I am excited to be an SRO to work with the youth and be a strong support system that is in place for them. I hope that being here with the children will assist them in coming to us as law enforcement to help them with any problem they may be facing."

Other School Resource Officers are Smithville Elementary School Deputy Roger Whitehead, Northside Elementary School Deputy Matt Summers, DeKalb Middle School Deputy Joseph Carroll, DeKalb County High School Deputy Chris McMillen, and DeKalb West School Deputy Billy Tiner.