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Fate of schools police officer rests with Ashland levy vote By Sara Murphy ASHLAND -- Police and school district officials say they may not keep the school resource officer position for another year. Since the position was implemented three years ago, 50 percent of the officer's paycheck has come from a federal COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grant, with the other half split between the Ashland Police Department and the Ashland School District. When the grant expires this year, police and school district officials say, budget limitations may strike the school resource officer from the priority list. Police Chief Scott Fleuter says the department needs to beef up patrols. If the school district can't come up with its share of the funding, he'd like to reassign the officer. Superintendent John Daggett says the district won't have enough money to pay its share unless a $1.93 million youth activities levy is approved Tuesday by voters. A majority of voters must have cast ballots in the election for the levy to be successful. "If the levy doesn't pass, we're going to have to cut so many things that I don't see how we could afford it," Daggett said. First approved in 1994, the local option levy funds a variety of non-academic programs. A second levy, passed in 1997, expires this year. If the current levy proposal fails, school officials estimate the district would have to cut nearly $1.5 million from Ashland school programs. Fleuter says a strong relationship with the school district will remain a priority, with or without a dedicated officer. It shouldn't affect the department's ability to serve -- or protect -- the city's students, he added. "I think the odds are pretty slim that they're going to be in the exact right place at the exact right time" to prevent a crime, such as a shooting, Fleuter says. Daggett agrees. The best way to prevent something terrible, he says, is to build a healthy, compassionate community. "In the event of a real crisis," he says, "we have the police station only a block away." Fleuter says while the department's response times are good, it sometimes runs with only two patrol officers on duty. "Ashland's getting to the size where we probably shouldn't do that," he says. A consultant hired by the police department to analyze work loads recommended the city add three patrol officers within the next year to continue the current level of service, Fleuter said. Ashland staffs 26 officers, including supervisors. Fleuter plans to add two patrol positions by replacing an unfilled captain's slot and reassigning the school resource officer. Officers will continue to be available to speak in classes, get to know the students and be on hand for big events, says Fleuter. He expects interaction with multiple officers to be educational for the students, as well as therapeutic for the officers. "Here's a neat time where all the officers who have to deal with the negatives all day can go have a positive contact," he says. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA