Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 UCW 7 LINDA DEVORE, R, NC House District 44 Candidate. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Cumberland County Schools received a $1 million grant for 13 additional school resource officers. School resource officers vital to school safety by LINDA DEVORE TO THE EDITOR Our community is grateful today to receive a two-year state grant of nearly $1,000,000 to fund 13 ad- ditional school resource officers in Cumberland County schools. However, I believe we must acknowledge that school resource officers are an essential infrastruc- ture investment to keep our children safe, and all campuses must be included. Public safety is a pri- mary responsibility of government – something that citizens cannot reasonably be expected to provide for themselves, so government must. As a candidate for the North Carolina Legislature, I was asked a few days ago to identify my top two priorities for action in the General Assembly. I responded, "1. Funding at least one school resource officer for each public-school campus." For many years I have advocated for infrastructure – including person- nel needed to keep our community safe – county jail expansion, ad- ditional police officers, and a more effective court system. ese are all important, and community lead- ers have stepped up to provide the resources for these initiatives –but we now know there are more challenges. Recurring funding for the ad- ditional officers needed here, and across the state, is not something that can be left to strained local communities and school boards. It is imperative that our legislature step up to provide permanent funding for school resource officers that will allow us to maintain at least one full- time officer at every school. Cumberland County has 87 public school campuses, with 43 school resource officers currently in place. Adding 13 more resource officers over the next two years will leave 31 schools without an armed law enforcement officer on campus now, and unless we identify permanent funding, elementary school students will go unprotected. is is an expensive proposal. More than $100 million a year – but an essential infrastructure need, just as we fund other support personnel in our schools. My commitment to public safety has never been stronger – nor the need greater. If elected to represent the citizens of NC House District 44, I commit to making school resource officers, and school safety my top priority. I call on other candidates and members of our legislative del- egation to do the same. Better Business Bureau Your Trusted Source for Business, Organizations & Families Online Reviews OUCH! Air Conditioning Contractor Cape Fear Air Conditioning and Heating Company, Inc. A+ Carpets Southern Carpet and Interiors of Fayetteville, Inc A+ Car Wash TLC Auto Wash A+ Gutters The Gutter Man A+ Home Improvement Bramble Builders A+ House Cleaning Class "A" Cleaning, Inc. A+ Lawyers The Richardson Firm A+ Pest Control AAA Exterminating Company A+ Property Management Aaims Property Management A+ Real Estate Tyson Commercial Real Estate A+ Apply to have your business or organization accredited locally. Contact Liz Stiles 910-818-0367 • e.stiles@coastalcarolina.bbb.org Count on these local Fayetteville and Cumberland County Honest & Trustworthy Businesses: Winners will be announced in September 19th Edition UP & COMING WEEKLY'S Who will be crowned?