Clay County Schools considers disbanding its school district police force
News4Jax | Scott Johnson | October 31, 2023
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – In what would be a dramatic turnaround for the Clay County School District, they may decide to disband the district’s police department. If they do, it would turn security back over to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in South Florida, all districts were mandated to have security at each school. In Clay County, there was a public fight about how to make that happen. The board voted to start their own police force, now four years later, they may reverse that decision.
In 2019, the Clay County School District made it very well known they had started a new police force. One they portrayed as first rate. There was even a property tax hike approved by voters to help fund the agency. But now, in 2023, upon further review, the agency could be disbanded and taken over by the Sheriff’s Office.
Beth Clark is a board member who supports the move. Clark says that there is still the same expense to the Sheriff’s Office as there is with paying for a police force. Therefore, the tax hike is not wasted money.
Clark also says nothing as far as security would change if this happens and no one would lose their job. The officers would just be absorbed by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
She says everything would be moved over and there should be no additional cost to the taxpayers. Clark noted what happened in Duval County when the school board police was found to be underreporting crimes on campus by a grand jury. She says she doesn’t want Clay in that same position where the school board had to manage how police do their job. She says Sheriff Cook said her agency is willing to step in and take over if that’s what the school board approves.
Sheriff Michelle Cook released this statement on the issue: “To the parents of Clay County students, I want to emphasize that our children’s safety will continue to be our top priority. If the decision is made to transfer responsibilities to the Sheriff’s Office, we are fully prepared to work closely and collaborate with the Clay County School District to ensure a seamless transition.”
The school board meeting where this is being discussed is Thursday night, Nov 2, at 6:00 p.m. at Fleming Island High School. The public will be given an opportunity to speak.
