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Prince William Co. schools look to hire retired cops for grade schools

Prince William County plans to hire retired police officers instead of school resource officers for its grade schools.

MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — Virginia's second-largest county is considering a plan to use retired police officers for security at its grade schools.

Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, said his county would be the first in Virginia to take advantage of a law in Virginia allowing the program.

At a board meeting Tuesday, Police Chief Barry Barnard recommended a pilot program that would hire five retired officers to work in county elementary schools.

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The retired officers would work for the school system, not the police.

School resource officers who are employees of the police department are already in place at the county's high schools and middle schools.

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Barnard said using retired officers would cost about half as much as full-fledged school resource officers.

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