Melbourne Beach residents made their voices heard when it came down to who should be protecting their children at Gemini Elementary School.
They wanted a police officer.
On July 18, Officer Alex Vila got the job when he was named as Gemini’s new School Resource Officer. Vila has been an officer with the Melbourne Beach Police Department for three years. He began his career in law enforcement in 2009.
In May, Brevard County Schools voted to hire armed guards for 28 elementary schools that did not have a dedicated SRO.
Security specialists are not police officers, but they must have a concealed weapons permit, undergo a background check, drug screening, medical and psychological evaluations, and complete five weeks of training.
“Speaking with multiple residents as well as staff at Gemini Elementary has made me aware of how important and how passionate everyone thinks about the SRO position,” Vila said. “The community as well as Gemini staff are very happy and excited for the SRO position.”
Vila says his duties as an SRO will be to provide a safe and secure environment for the children and staff at Gemini, as well as build friendly relationships with the children and staff so they feel comfortable with my new presence at the school.
The decision to fund the position brought relief to many, including Gemini’s Principal Jennifer Julian, who was among those who spoke during a town commission meeting in May.
An issue for the commission was a shortfall in funding. While the salary for a security specialist would be covered, the School Board reimbursement amount is only $52,000 for an SRO, leaving the town at least $12,000 short of what it would cost to fund an officer.
Commissioners expressed concern that spending money on the position, could result in sacrificing other needs in town. But eventually the motion to approve the position was carried, 3-1, with Commissioner Steve Walters casting the dissenting vote.
Town Manager Jim Simmons says the shortfall is being covered in this year’s budget through monies in the salary account. In the next budget year, which starts Oct. 1, 2018, the position will be included in the budget.
Some locals are doing their best to help alleviate any financial burden on the town.
Melbourne Beach resident Paul Drusch started a Go Fund Me Page called MBPD Protecting Our Kids @ School and he hopes to raise enough to give the town back the money it had to allot to pay the uncovered costs.
“I am looking forward to having Officer Vila at the school full time to protect the students and faculty as well as interacting with them,” said Melbourne Beach Police Chief Melanie Griswold. “It is a win-win for everyone. He is an experienced officer with the perfect demeanor for the position.”
The SRO program is a full-time position. During school vacations, Vila will be assigned as a road officer and there will be police coverage for any vacation and/or sick time.
“As an SRO I hope to bring safety and security to Gemini as well as just being a friend/mentor for the kids,” Vila said. “I hope to bridge that gap between kids and law enforcement and try to let the kids understand that even though we are police officers we are just people in a uniform performing our duties.”
Article by: Jennifer Torres, correspondent
