BELLE — Maries County R-2 Board of Education came to a consensus on Sept. 26 to reach out to neighboring county sheriff’s departments in search of a second school resource officer (SRO). The position would be temporary while the city of Belle continues it search for an appropriate applicant, according to Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham.

“We probably would at that point ask if they have anyone available on a temporary basis while Belle PD is still looking,” Basham said.

Board members discussed in closed session the ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of both campuses within the district. Basham expressed on Friday that the consensus among district officials is to explore options beyond their current sheriff’s office to hopefully secure an SRO faster.

The Bland Middle School is located in Gasconade County and Maries R-2 in Belle has many Osage County students, as the town is located on the county line. Basham said they would ask the Gasconade and Osage counties sheriffs’ departments first.

“The consensus is to find someone from a different sheriff’s office who may be able to provide an SRO,” Basham said. “They want to reach out to see if someone else has some we could borrow because Belle is having difficulty finding someone. I will reach out and share more information next month.”

She highlighted the challenges the city of Belle has encountered in its search for an appropriate SRO and emphasized the importance of collaboration and information-sharing to keep students safe.

“Our top priority is ensuring the safety of both campuses to the best of our ability,” she said.

She conveyed the board’s strong support for the concept of having an SRO on each campus and their commitment to finding suitable alternatives until Belle can secure a permanent SRO.

“The board really likes the idea of having an SRO on both campuses,” Basham said. “We are going to try to see if they have some other alternatives until Belle is able to find a permanent SRO.  We all want kids to be safe despite the campus they are one and I applaud that (the board is) committed to providing resources to keep our campuses as safe as possible.”

Basham said the district is still seeking a second full-time SRO. Prospective candidates interested in becoming an SRO are encouraged to reach out to either the Maries County Sheriff’s Department or Belle Police Department for further information.