Bethel loses its deputy; police could take up to 25 minutes to reach schools

What happened

After Bethel voters ended funding for a dedicated sheriff's deputy, the superintendent told the board that police response to the schools could take 5 to 25 minutes. A school resource officer would cost $75,000 or $135,000 a year, and no grants are available now.

Why it matters to families

Slower help in an emergency is a safety risk. Any school officer would have to be added in the next budget, which starts in December and January.

The evidence

At the August 10 meeting the superintendent reported the sheriff's estimate of a 5 to 25 minute response and the two officer cost options. The board approved its 2026-27 safety plans but took no action on an officer. Evidence comes from auto-generated captions of the Western Hills Access Television recording, not approved minutes.

The source