GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley Unified School District approached the Gridley Police Department seeking to partner to provide a School Resource Officer (SRO) for Gridley schools.

GUSD has previously employed the use of an SRO through Gridley Police Department to aid in truancy situations, security matters, attend games or school events and more. For whatever reasons, the SRO position has not been utilized by GUSD for many years, but the district has recently received funding that could be used to bring the position back.

The City of Gridley Finance Department provided GUSD with the cost of hiring one officer to fill the position as talks between GUSD and GPD deepened. According to Gridley Police Chief Rodney Harr, the funding secured by the Gridley Unified School District Board of Education through the Extended Learning Opportunities Grant program would provide for two years (24 months) salary for an SRO.

Chief Harr brought the matter to the Gridley City Council for approval June 7^th. Council questioned whether the SRO position would be staffed by a new hire or by an officer already established with the GPD. Chief Harr recommended assigning an officer to the position that has been with Gridley PD for some time, citing that said Officer’s relationship, knowledge and understanding of the town and schools/districts would be not only beneficial but essential to provide exemplary service.

Council agreed and passed the motion, granting Chief Harr the authority to proceed with recruiting a new officer to the GPD force and designating one of the existing officers to the task of School Resource Officer.  SRO position is expected to begin in August of 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year.