County Commissioners approve plan with 3 school districts to put deputies in their schools

El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday approved a tentative agreement with three local school districts to accept a federal COPS hiring grant that will place 10 sheriff’s deputies in schools as resource officers over the next four years.

The school districts involved are Canutillo Independent School District, the San Elizario Independent School District and the Clint Independent School District.

The program can begin as soon as April 1, 2014.

The COPS grant will be matched with $1.5 million from the school districts as well as $218,000 from El Paso County for a total of $2.9 million which will create 10 new deputy positions for the four year period.

“I am very pleased to work in partnership with the El Paso County Commissioners Court and the aforementioned School Districts to be able to accept this important federal grant which will add jobs in our community and help to ensure the safety of our children,” Sheriff Richard Wiles said in a statement.