MOUNT VERNON – Police Chief Roger Monroe spoke to City Council members Monday night about the school resource officer soon to be assigned to Mount Vernon High School, Knox County Career Center and Mount Vernon Middle School. He has selected MVPD Patrolman Jeremiah Armstrong for the job. City Council, the Mount Vernon School Board and the Knox County Career Center School Board will make the final approval for Armstrong’s appointment.
Ptl. Jeremiah Armstrong- MVPD photo
Council Member Sam Barone asked Monroe, “Will this officer be equipped to deal, to council, to advise, to educate students, is that part of the mission here?” Monroe said that will be the mission and that Armstrong will continue training, as do all MVPD officers.
Council Member Nancy Vail wanted to know about drug education, particularly in the Middle School. “Make no mistake, he (the SRO) is not a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer, he is a police officer and his job is school security. He is to make sure that school is safe, those students are safe, so that’s his main priority. Everything else is a bonus.”
The SRO is expected to begin duty in the schools in February.
