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School district, sheriff at odds over law enforcement in Clay County schools

Secure school campuses are a top concern for Clay County families.

UPDATE: Clay County School Board state approval for new police force

Stephanie Schwake said, “I have a 14-year-old brother that goes to Middleburg High and I do worry about him, a lot.”

In February, Action News Jax reported when the Clay County School Board voted to create its own police department.

Board members said it’s more effective than having a school resource officer from the Sheriff’s Office on every campus.

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On Monday, Sheriff Darryl Daniels said having his deputies at schools is the safest option.

He proposed a plan that would require the school district to pay 70% of the cost for the school resource officers and the Board of County Commissioners to cover the other 30% of the cost.

Daniels said, “They’re only getting 70% a year in services from the SROs. It would be unfair to tax them, or strap them, with a full 12 months of services.”

Board Chairwoman Carol Studdard said the numbers are still too high.

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She also said, “In my mind, those are taxpayer dollars and the taxpayers are already paying their taxes on the millage for safety.”

The school board said it is aiming to have the police department up and running by September.
Some said they'd rather have deputies in the schools.

Schwake said, “I don’t know what goes on there. I can’t get on campus to protect him (her brother) and I want to know that he’s safe.”

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The sheriff’s plan would have to be approved by the majority of the Board of County Commissioners.

Studdard said the district’s plan for its own police department has been sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for approval.