Harford County, MD – Sheriff Gahler announced the addition of four new School Resource Officer (SRO) positions to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office School Policing Unit. Starting January 2024, deputies will be deployed to Aberdeen High and Aberdeen Middle School due to manpower shortages at the Aberdeen Police Department.
The School Policing Unit has grown significantly over the last decade, particularly after the Parkland, Florida school shooting in 2018. Community meetings with local officials led to the expansion of the SRO Program, which has since extended its reach from high schools to middle and elementary schools within Harford County. The County has committed to funding the four new positions, increasing the unit’s operational strength from 10 to 25 sworn deputies.
Sheriff Gahler remains committed to placing SROs in schools, having previously opposed legislation that would limit the role of SROs in educational settings.
In a statement, Sheriff Gahler said, “As your Sheriff, I will do what is necessary to keep our community safe and nothing is more important than keeping our children safe in school.”
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for lateral law enforcement officers. Interested individuals can apply online at www.harfordsheriff.org.