Loudoun County, VA (May 1, 2024): Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman is calling on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and School Board to initiate discussions with local law enforcement about expanding the security presence at Loudoun’s 62 elementary schools.
On April 26, the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Blue Ribbon Panel on school security released 11 preliminary recommendations on improving school safety, including more security personnel in its elementary schools. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) was among the agencies invited to participate in the Panel and supports the objective of these recommendations.
“It is time for Loudoun County to develop a multi-year plan and identify the necessary funding to ensure the presence of a School Resource Officer (SRO) in LCPS elementary schools, as we have for every middle and high school,” Chapman said. “The Blue-Ribbon Panel’s recommendations are a helpful starting point for these important discussions.”
The specific roles of SROs in elementary, middle, and high schools would be somewhat different based on the ages and needs of the students, but all would be alike in providing a full-time, on-site presence in the event of an Active Violence Incident (AVI) or other emergency, and in enabling positive day-to-day interaction with students, teachers, and administrators.
Throughout his 12 years in office, Sheriff Chapman has been a champion of greater security at Loudoun’s schools, including the full-time presence of intensively trained SRO deputies to complement the LCPS-directed School Security Officers (SSOs), who are unarmed and do not have law enforcement authority. SRO deputies are provided by the LCSO and Leesburg Police Department (LPD) and funded by local government, not LCPS.
Sheriff Chapman first called attention to the need for SROs in elementary schools in 2019, urging support from the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors (which would have to fund these positions) and the Loudoun County School Board (which would have to recommend them).
“Some may suggest that Loudoun doesn’t need or cannot afford more SROs, but that is not true,” said Chapman. “We have the safest county in the D.C. metropolitan area because we are committed to best practices and continuous improvement for everyone. We are already doing more to keep our middle and high schools safe, and doing more for our elementary school students, teachers, and families is the next step,” he added.
Currently, the only LCSO presence in Loudoun’s elementary schools is through the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, with a small number of deputies assigned to teach the curriculum to fifth graders in LCPS elementary schools.
A multi-year strategy could begin as early as the 2025-26 school year, including an initial presence of SROs and SSOs in elementary schools along with other safety enhancements. The LCSO looks forward to conversations with the LCPS Superintendent and School Board, the Board of Supervisors, and the LPD in furtherance of this objective.