Baldwin Commissioners Renew School Resource Officer Deal in Final Meeting; Schools Pay Over $1 Million for 15 Deputies
The one-year renewal keeps sheriff's deputies in county schools. The school system now pays about $3.49 million for officers from the sheriff's office and municipal police departments.
BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Commission voted unanimously this week to keep sheriff’s deputies in local schools for another year, using its last meeting of the four-year term to renew a partnership with Baldwin County Public Schools.
The one-year agreement allows the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office to assign deputies as school resource officers, or SROs, providing both security and learning opportunities on campus.
“This is a true partnership,” Sheriff Anthony Lowery said. “I call it one of our flagship programs. I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women that do that.”
What it costs
Under the agreement, the school system pays $63,000 per deputy, $85,000 for administrative costs and $7,500 for SRO training. Lowery said 15 of his deputies serve as SROs, so the school system pays the county more than $1 million a year for the program.
School system spokesperson Chastity Riddick said every Baldwin County school has at least one SRO, either from the sheriff’s office or from a municipal police department. The agreement with the sheriff’s office dates to 2017, county records show.
Districtwide, the school system paid $3,325,000 for 54 SROs in 2025. That figure is $3,494,000 for the current school year, Riddick said.
More than security
The agreement says SROs do more than provide security. They offer counseling services to students and teach law-related and safety classes.
“It’s so far from being security that I don’t even know what to say,” Lowery said. “While they do provide physical security as law enforcement officers, their interaction with the kids and the faculty and the things that they bring to the table as far as being able to teach things and mentor these kids, it goes so far outside the scope of security. It’s unrecognizable.”
Superintendent Marty McRae thanked commissioners during Tuesday’s meeting in Bay Minette.
“Hopefully this partnership is going to continue,” he said. “We want what is best for our students. This has helped us create the safest environment for our kids.”
A farewell for three commissioners
After regular business, members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation presented state resolutions honoring Commissioners Jeb Ball of District 1, Matt McKenzie of District 2 and Skip Gruber of District 4. All three leave office Nov. 11, when newly elected members are sworn in.
State Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, thanked the members for their years of service. “You’ve done a great job with a bunch of tough issues,” he told McKenzie. “I imagine we will see you around.”
Ball introduced a resolution naming a county maintenance facility after Gruber, who has served on the commission for more than a decade. He also offered one for former Commissioner Frank Burt, who died in 2018.
As the meeting closed, District 3 Commissioner Billie Jo Underwood, who won re-election earlier this year, thanked her colleagues. “I wish you well in the next season of your lives,” she said.
