Kenton County has appointed two school resource officers to safeguard two local private schools.
School resource officers are police officers stationed in schools throughout the day. They are responsible for responding to criminal activity and providing other safety and security services.
Robert Bayer and Ed Butler, two officers at the Kenton County Police Department, were appointed as school resources officers by the Kenton County Fiscal Court at a meeting on Nov. 12. Their contracts start on Nov. 18 and are worth approximately $48,500 annually.
“They will be assigned to Villa Madonna Academy and Holy Cross High School,” Kenton County Police Chief Spike Jones said.
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann swore the officers in during the meeting.
“We’re grateful you said yes,” Knochelmann said. “We’re grateful for the future as you step into these roles and make a real impact on safety in education.”
Holy Cross is a private Roman Catholic school in Covington’s Latonia neighborhood. The school has over 330 students in grades nine through 12. Villa Madonna Academy is a private Roman Catholic school located in Villa Hills. It boasts an enrollment of nearly 120 students in grades nine through 12.
In 2022, the Kentucky General Assembly passed House Bill 63, which required statewide public schools to have school resource officers on campus to increase security. Local jurisdictions are ultimately responsible for the cost of hiring and retention.
The following year, the general assembly passed House Bill 530, which allows private and parochial schools to enter into school resource officer agreements with local law enforcement agencies.
Upon passing House Bill 63, the fiscal court authorized a memorandum of understanding with the Kenton County Board of Education in August of 2022 that signaled the legislative body’s intent to support school resource officers in four unincorporated Kenton County schools.
In May of this year, the fiscal court extended the memorandum through June 30, 2025. Those four positions are paid for by the Kenton County School District with the fiscal court covering a small funding gap.
Holy Cross District High School and Villa Madonna Academy are governed by the Diocese of Covington School Board, which oversees approximately 39 Roman Catholic educational institutions throughout NKY.
At a fiscal court meeting on Sept. 10, the fiscal court approved the reorganization of the Kenton County Police Department to include two additional school resource officers.
Under the agreement, the Diocese of Covington is slated to reimburse Kenton County for 100% of the costs associated with the positions. The reimbursement contract between the fiscal court and the Diocese of Covington is being finalized.
