OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — For the first time, "guardians" will service the majority of charter schools in Osceola County instead of school resource officers.
What You Need To Know
- Most charter schools in Osceola County will be using guardians rather than school resource officers
- SROs are sworn members of law enforcement, while guardians are hired through a private company
- The city of St. Cloud will continue to use SROs at schools within the city limits
More than a dozen charter schools in Osceola County will be getting guardians, who are hired through a private company. School resource officers are sworn law enforcement officers.
Officials say individual guardians could potentially have prior military or law-enforcement background.
Some charter school parents, like Ilsa Zeron, don’t like the change.
“I feel like a deputy in this case would be better prepared,” she said.
Sheriff Marcos Lopez said he supports the Guardian program.
“If the surrounding counties … Orange County is going to it, Polk County is, Brevard, everybody is successfully using it … So, it is a program that is working," Lopez said. "And I do believe it will work.”
The city of St. Cloud will keep school resource officers at the charter schools within the City.