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Xenia to provide GCCC with SRO

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XENIA — The City of Xenia will provide the Greene County Career Center with a school resource officer when and if in-person classes resume in the fall.

The two entered into a memorandum of understanding which was finalized Thursday when city council authorized City Manager Brent Merriman to sign on behalf of Xenia.

Under terms of the agreement — which will automatically renew annually unless terminated — the cost of the SRO will be equally shared by the city and career center. However, due to the financial uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic, the career center has agreed to cover 100 percent of the cost the first year and 60 percent the second year.

The city will then take on a majority of the cost the following year, eventually bringing total expenditures back to the 50-50 balance.

“This allows us to not have to absorb any additional cost for the addition of this position for about a year and a half which is something that at this juncture is very beneficial for the city,” Merriman said. “We feel that it’s going to be two budget cycles before things can return relatively to where we were going into this COVID-19. This really does help us.”

The SRO will be appointed by Chief Randy Person after interviews are conducted by a panel, including a representative of the school. According to the MOU, the SRO should have college or degree coursework, a minimum of three years of experience as a patrol officer, and have proven satisfactory performance in his or her role as a police officer.

By Scott Halasz

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Contact Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.