PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is pushing to put more officers in Arizona schools.
Babeu, along with State Sen. Rich Crandall (R-Mesa) and National Association of School Resources Officers (NASRO) President Kevin Quinn announced Tuesday a $30 million plan to add nearly 300 school resource officers, improve mental health assessments and expand school guidance counseling.
The proposal hadn't nailed down exactly where the $30 million would come from but said it could come from the clean elections excess funding via a ballot referral, according to a news release Tuesday. Other ideas for funding included a tax on alcohol sold in Arizona or a fee on private party auto sales.
Babeu said law enforcement would provide annual training to the designated school staff.
"I don't want to arm a couple of teachers in every school, but what is the alternative? We need a permanent funding source, since the general fund may be eliminated, yet the threat to our schools remains," Babeu said in a statement Thursday.
Stay with cbs5az.com for updates on this developing story.
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