Tennessee lawmaker reintroduces bill to allow veterans, retired cops to work as School Resource Officers


Tennessee lawmaker reintroduces bill to allow veterans, retired cops to work as School Resource Officers

Published January 27, 2025 5:17am EST A Tennessee state lawmaker reintroduced a bill for the 2025 legislative session that would look to fill a shortage of School Resource Officers by allowing veterans and retired law enforcement officers to be hired. Republican Rep. Tim Rudd reintroduced the bill for the 2025 legislative session. It was passed by the House during the last legislative session, but it failed to make it through the Senate. The bill would allow public charter schools to hire honorably discharged veterans and retired law enforcement officers to serve as School Resource Officers. Applicants must complete 40 hours of basic training in school policy, pass a test to be eligible to purchase and possess a handgun, receive written authorization to carry or possess a firearm on school grounds, undergo a psychiatric evaluation and pass an FBI criminal history check. "They still have to go through training. The reason why is to try to find more resource officers in these rural areas, especially so we can protect our children," Rudd told WTVC. "This certainly won't solve the shortage problem, but it will help," he added. "Ultimately, it'd be up to the school system whether they want to use them, and what guidelines and rules they put in place."