The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night during its meeting in the colonial courthouse to fund two full-time School Resource Officers. The officers will serve elementary schools at both ends of the county for the remainder of the school year.

When the board approved its fiscal year 2019 budget, it included two new part-time SRO positions in the sheriff’s department to be funded directly by the school’s operating budget at $84,000. However, according to Gloucester Sheriff Darrell Warren, recruiting for the part-time positions has been challenging.

“We certainly gave the part-time (process) 100-percent effort,” Warren said. “But we didn’t come close.”

When asked the expectation of being able to fill the two full-time positions for the remainder of the school year, Warren was very optimistic. He said several of his current officers have expressed interest in transferring to serve as SROs and another group of officers was expected to graduate from the auxiliary academy on Wednesday, several of whom had also expressed interest.

Since the $84,000 figure was anticipated for two SROs to serve part time all year, it will cost the same amount for the two positions to be full time for the last half of the year. Also, there are two sheriff’s cars in the fleet available for the two SROs, at no additional cost to the county.

During the summer, Warren said these officers will work as patrol officers or fill in other duties as needed within his department.

However, Warren said that if security grants don’t pan out that the school system will apply for funds to pay for these positions in the coming year. He wanted assurance that accommodations will be made by the board. “I’m not interest in hiring a six-month position,” Warren said.