County FOP at odds with commissioner
Maughan votes against school resource officer for Nicoma Park
Over the last two months, Oklahoma County Sheriff P.D. Taylor has submitted two memorandums of understanding for school resource officers for approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
While both measures passed, one of the three county commissioners has voted a stern “no” on each.
The first was for a new resource officer for Choctaw-Nicoma Park Schools, and the second was to renew the memorandum for a resource officer already in place with Christ the King Catholic School. 
District 2 County Commissioner Brian Maughan recently voted against placing School Resource Officers in Oklahoma County schools. Maughan says his “No” votes are not about public safety, but rather working to reduce financial burden on the county and ensuring the Sheriff’s primary focus is the county jail. (Photo by Ryan Horton)
Those memorandums were voted on during the Aug. 29 and Sept. 19 meetings, and Oklahoma County Commissioners approved both with a vote of 2-1.
District 1 Commissioner Willa Johnson and District 3’s Ray Vaughn voted in support of approving both resource officers, while District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughan voted against each.
Christ the King Catholic School is located in northwest Oklahoma City, and is in Vaughn’s district.
Choctaw-Nicoma Park schools are in Maughan’s district that includes the east, south and west area of the county.
The lone vote of opposition has the executive board of the OCSO Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 155 voicing concerns.
“It is the opinion of the members of this organization that Commissioner Maughan’s clear disregard for the safety of his constituents’ children shows his failure to protect public safety in his district. His position on school resource officers, patrol of the unincorporated areas of Oklahoma County and the jail shows his blatant disregard for public safety for his constituents and for the rest of Oklahoma county. He is taking aim at this county’s most precious resource, our children,” said Larry Grant, President of FOP Lodge 155, that represents the deputies and detention officers of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. “Commissioner Maughan has voiced his feelings in opposition of Oklahoma County school resource deputies in the recent past. He has made claims that this is costing the county, when in fact the schools pay the county for the deputies posted at those respective schools.”
The Choctaw-Nicoma Park district has two Choctaw Police Department resource officers to serve the six schools within the Choctaw city limits, and the one OCSO resource officer to serve the three sites located in Nicoma Park.
In total, CNP Schools spend around $115,000 per year for the three resource officers.
Other local schools served by OCSO resource officers include Eastern Oklahoma Technology Center, located in Choctaw, Star Spencer and Rogers Middle School.
EOC Tech has a similar contract, which pays the OCSO $225 per day for approximately 175 days a year.
The contracts run August through May, excluding breaks and days classes are cancelled, costing the schools just under $40,000 a year per resource officer.
The starting salary for an Oklahoma County deputy sheriff is about $32,000.
During the three months that schools aren’t in session, the county utilizes the resource officers as judicial officers, detention officers or put the deputies on patrol, explained OCSO spokesman Mark Opgrande.
Despite the schools covering more than a year’s salary for about nine months of work, Commissioner Maughan says the county still suffers a financial burden being responsible for additional costs such as gear, benefits and liability.
The Board of County Commissioners meets the first Monday of every month and every Wednesday thereafter, except on holidays or special occasions. All sessions are open to the public.
