By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
The Oxford Park Commission will be paying school resource officers to patrol the Activity Center in the late afternoon after employees were faced with breaking up several fights recently.
OPC Director Seth Gaines asked the Oxford Board of Aldermen Tuesday to allow OPC to reimburse the Oxford Police Department for additional patrols from 4 to 6 p.m. each weekday through the end of the school year.
“We’re having some issues with some ball kids that are coming over after school,” Gaines said. “The (OPC) Board asked me to explore the possibility of getting school resource officers from over at the schools.”
OPD agreed to all the officers to be at the activity center and they will be paid through the activities fund through OPD.
Gaines said they were having trouble with fights among the children.
“We’re having fights every other day,” he said. “I’ve suspended more people in the last two months than I have in the last three years.”
Gaines said one fight last week required OPC employees to call the OPD to come help break it up.
“We’re understaffed at the activity center as it is and we’re trying to keep up with everything, but the kids can always find a corner to go to,” he said.
The Board approved the request unanimously.
