A Moore County School Board Monday meeting ended in the withdrawal of a proposed contract to hire unarmed security personnel for local schools. This decision came after Superintendent Dr. Tim Locklair withdrew the previous recommendation amid heated debate and multiple failed amendments.

The contract, proposed with the North Carolina Protection Group, aimed to place unarmed guards in schools currently lacking a full-time police presence.

However, the proposal quickly drew criticism from board members who questioned the effectiveness, cost, and transparency of the contract.

Debate Over Debate

The meeting opened with a failed motion from board member David Hensley to suspend the board’s 10-minute speaking limit per member, a move that would have permitted extensive discussion.

“I have significant questions about this that should be publicly discussed,” said Hensley. “They should be publicly discussed because the public deserves to be able to hear what we think about this, not just rubber-stamp what the superintendent recommends. … We owe them to have honest and open discussions and debates on this. Therefore, I’m calling on my fellow board members to do the right thing. Let’s be a deliberative body.”

Board members Hensely, Pauline Bruno, and Kenneth Benway voted in favor of this suggestion. Chair Dr. Robin Calcutt, Vice Chair Shannon Davis, and members Dr. Amy Dahl and Steve Johnson voted against it. The motion, as such, failed in the vote, and speakers were limited to ten minutes apiece.

Concerns Over Qualifications, Cost, and Effectiveness

Opponents of the contract raised concerns about the proposed guards’ qualifications, noting that the only hard requirements delineated by the plan were a high school diploma and the ability to lift 40 pounds. Law enforcement experience was listed as “preferred,” not required.

The fact that the guards would not be armed additionally led to several questions and apprehensions.  

“I hear an additional layer of security, [but] I don’t understand what this additional layer of security is,” said Bruno. “All you’re doing is hiring people to be hall monitors. That’s all they’re going to be. When the company was giving their presentation to us, he said it’s all about relationships. What kind of a relationship do you have with an active armed shooter?”

The pay was also a point of contention; an annual salary of $66,560 per guard would reportedly exceed what some trained SROs earn.

Hensley voiced issues with the district awarding a $344,000 contract for school security without opening it to competitive bidding. He argued that this creates an appearance of impropriety, especially since the selected company, North Carolina Protection Group, lacks prior experience in school security but employs a former Pinehurst police chief.

Hensley continued to dispute claims that recruitment issues for School Resource Officers stem from pay or benefits, stating that the county ranks third in compensation among ten departments and offers a decent retirement contribution.

Benway prepared a short but eloquent speech to articulate his concerns.

“Our current SRO force is invaluable, but SRO recruiting shortfalls historically are multifaceted and exacerbated by North Carolina legislative constraints that hinder recruitment,” said Benway. “Pay and benefits rank high among the problem areas. Solving this long-standing gap in law enforcement requires a comprehensive, whole-of-government solution for Moore County that defines the threat and outlines the necessary organization, training, materials, leadership, personnel, and facilities to be resourced and integrated to protect our students and staff every school day. Unarmed security contractors cannot provide the required level of protection.”

Benway added that unarmed security personnel would be “inadequate to meet the immediacy of armed response demanded of an active shooter or lethal attacker” and urged the board to establish a contract with appropriate law enforcement agencies.

“In the near term, establish a school security council consisting of the Moore County School Board of Education, the superintendent, the Moore County Commissioners, the sheriff, and our Moore County elected North Carolina legislative representatives to shape, legislate, resource, institutionalize, and implement a whole of government,” concluded Benway.

Recommendation Withdrawn

Following the lengthy, somewhat heated debate over the proposal and suggested amendments, Locklair withdrew the recommendation entirely.

“Based on the conversation, the discussion, and the changes that are being brought to the contract itself, I’m just pulling my recommendation and perhaps we’ll circle back this at a later time,” said Locklair. “I appreciate the board’s discussion, feedback, and engagement. I appreciate staff’s hard work on putting this together.”

Despite contention, there is unanimous agreement that student and staff safety is a top priority. All board members want to see comprehensive and long-term solutions to improve school security for faculty and students alike.

“[This] does not mean that I don’t passionately want to have an armed police force in every one of our schools,” said Locklair. “I certainly do want that to happen, and I believe that represents the will of our board, and we would continue to work towards doing that.”

The decision leaves several schools without full-time security coverage as the board continues to grapple with how best to protect students and staff.

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~ Written by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.