The Sarasota County School Board approved putting off-duty deputies in elementary schools starting in April, but a money issue caught many off guard at Thursday’s meeting. Administrators are now tasked with having to find or cut $750,000 from next year’s budget after Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight relayed to the board that his office would not split the cost of the resource officers at middle and high schools. A letter by the sheriff was sent to the school district on Wednesday terminating the agreement. The district already pays $750,000 for the service of 14 deputies and now that number will double since the district has agreed to have the officers on sight.
