FLEMING ISLAND - More than a month after the Clay County Sheriff’s Office officially took the lead in policing Clay County schools, the new school resource officers were sworn in for duty on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Ahead of the new school year, new and returning resource officers became members of CCSO and took the oath of duty at their swearing-in ceremony.

Each officer’s name was called one by one. They rounded the stage to shake hands and take photos, their proud families watching from the audience. 

In a speech during the ceremony, Sheriff Michelle Cook said CCSO is prepared and equipped to defend every school in the county.

"I want to assure all of you here today and anybody that may be listening that our schools are safe [and] our schools will continue to be safe," Cook said. "And the men and women standing along this wall right here are ready." 

In light of the many school shootings that have taken place throughout the country, Cook said that she and her team take the time to study every single one and work to improve their tactics and resources.

Cook said the transition from the school district using its own police department is beneficial. She said the size of CCSO will entail better safety standards. 

"The size of the Clay County Sheriff's Office, we are over 900 members now, allows us to dedicate all of our vast resources to this important mission," Cook said. 

Cook reminisced about her meetings with each school administrator two years ago. There, she said they came up with the County Hazardous Incident Response Plan, a detailed response to any school emergency. 

CHIRP plans are tailored to each school's unique needs, and the newly sworn-in officers will be responsible for helping to carry out each one if necessary. 

Director of School Safety and Youth Programs Patrick Golemme will lead the group. Cook said that each sworn-in deputy will have jurisdiction reaching every part of the county and receive a vast network of immediate support whenever need be. 

"We will never stop training, and we will never stop learning," Cook said. "And we will never stop supporting what you need to keep our schools safe." 

Amid questions and concerns from the public about the transition, she ensured that they were ready.

"Every single sworn officer under my command has a mandate and a commitment to run towards danger and not away from it," Cook said.