6 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: AUGUST 2017 Your house needs paint- ing. You get two bids for the job from contractors. The first bid is for $10,000. The second guy says he can do the job for $3,000. More often than not peo- ple are going to pick the cheaper option. And that’s why the Horry County School Board in South Carolina recently voted unanimously to get rid of law enforcement officers in their schools and replace them with security guards. They voted to hire a pri- vate security company to protect its schools, removing Horry County Police officers from school resource officer positions. The annual cost for 18 armed guards from U.S. Security Associates is about $550,000 for the 2017-2018 school year. That’s obviously a lot less than the $1,650,000 the school board would have paid for 18 officers, one “rover” and two sergeants through the Horry County Police Department. Horry County Police Chief Joseph Hill says he’s disappointed. “While I am disappointed in the school board’s deci- sion to remove the School Resource Officers, I will use these positions to strengthen ourcommunityrelationsand crime fighting efforts,” the chief said. “Their presence in the school is more than just a visible deterrent to criminal activity. The school resource officers serve as mentors and coaches to our youth while impacting their lives in ways that will leave a positive and lasting impres- sion,” the chief said. Horry County Schools officials say the new secu- rity guards will take several training courses in U.S. Se- curity Basic Training, School Safe/Security Training, Ac- tive Shooter, Advanced Liability and Legal Aspects, Anti-Terrorism Training and mandated SLED training in order to be prepared to protect students. The vote to remove Horry County officers from the SRO positions came shortly after county leaders said they wanted more money from the school board to pay the salaries of sworn officers assigned to the schools. You can make a pizza so cheap, nobody will eat it. You can make an airline so cheap, nobody will fly it. – Gordon Bethune Cops priced out The private security biz is booming In Indiana, a South Bend police officer is getting the hero treatment after he saved a 5-year-old autistic boy from the St. Joseph River recently. Police say a mother and her two sons were enjoy- ing a walk when her 5- year-old, who has autism, took off running and she lost sight of him. But eagle eyed Officer Reid Spitaels saw the boy in the river at Howard Park near a dam just downstream. In an instant he was in the drink (in full gear) pulling the kid to safety. The boy was taken to the hospital where they checked him out; he was expected to be fine. Nice work Badges Insignia Medals Awards Collar Insignia Nameplates Challenge Coins Pins Accessories Design your badge online /smithandwarren @SmithnWarren Contact@SmithWarren.com Ph: 914.948.4619 To learn more, visit your local Smith & Warren dealer or visit www.SmithWarren.com PRODUCTION FAST RELIABLE - 10% OF PROCEEDS FROM EVERY PINK BADGE SOLD IS DONATED TO Breast Cancer Awareness Badges GO PINK!