San Benito County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Cedeno began his new role as the Spring Grove School Resource Officer on Aug. 11. The position consists primarily of security and education, and not disciplinary action, according to the sheriff’s office.
After the May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Spring Grove Principal Jenny Bernosky and North County Joint Union School District Board of Trustees President Ted Zanella contacted Sheriff Eric Taylor. The educators wanted the sheriff to consider the idea of placing a School Resource Officer at Spring Grove School to protect the students, says a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Taylor and Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Corral met with Bernosky and Zanella to discuss what the SRO program would entail. They decided to place a full-time SRO at the school, located on Spring Grove Road, starting Aug. 11, says the press release.
The sheriff’s office and district signed a contract for the new SRO position following unanimous vote by the school district’s board of trustees on Aug. 9.
Cedeno was chosen by the sheriff to fill the new role. He will be present at Spring Grove during school hours and at special events to help with traffic issues and develop curriculum to teach students about the dangers of tobacco, drugs, gangs and more, says the press release.
“The Sheriff’s Office is fortunate to have a strong partnership with Superintendent Bernosky, her staff and her board of trustees,” says the press release. “We are confident Deputy Cedeno has the perfect attitude, heart and temperament to have an incredibly positive impact on the lives of our youth and to protect them from danger, if necessary.”
