A State legislator from Tennessee Introduced a bill for the legislative session of 2025 that would like to fill a shortage of school resource officers by allowing veterans and retired law enforcement officers to be hired.
Republican rep. Tim Rudd re -introduced the bill before the legislative session of 2025. It was accepted by the house during the last term of session, but it was unable to reach the Senate.
The bill would allow it Public Charter Schools To honor honorably dismissed veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve as a school resource officers.
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The Tennessee State Capitol is seen, January 8, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Applicants must complete 40 hours of basic training in school policy, pass a test that is eligible to buy and possess a gun, receive written authorization to wear or possess a firearm on school grounds, undergo a psychiatric evaluation And endure an FBI criminal history control.
“They still have to follow training. The reason why is trying to find more resources in these rural areas, especially so that we can protect our children,” Rudd told WTVC.
“This will certainly not solve the shortage problem, but it will help,” he added. “Ultimately, it would be up to the school system, whether they want to use them, and which guidelines and rules they have set.”
Drone view on the Tennessee State Capitol. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Rudd says the proposal would help veterans and Retired law enforcement officersBut the most important priority is to protect the children.
A man who has served with the Navy for more than 20 years said that the measure could be a chance for veterans to find a renewed goal and to be a role model for students.
“They have all the skills that would be needed to bring to the environment of a school environment as a resource officer,” Mickey McCamish told WTVC.
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The Tennessee State Capitol can be seen on January 22, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
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The transition from military life to civilian life can be difficult for some, but McCamish says that these individuals would be perfect role models for students.
“It just couldn’t fit better than veterans as a role model for students in a position of a resource officer or just to be part of school life,” he said.
