Cumberland County SROs: Hope Mills police chief and city manager stunned that sheriff is pulling officers from schools

HOPE MILLS, N.C. (WTVD) – The Hope Mills police chief and city manager are speaking out after the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office decided to pull security officers and school crossing guards from the city’s public schools, as well as all other cities in Cumberland County.

This means the city, its police department and Cumberland County schools must figure out if and how they will fill these positions.

Police Chief Stephen Dollinger and Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin of Hope Mills said the sheriff’s decision was a big surprise. Police Chief Dollinger also said Sheriff Ennis Wright is doing this because the sheriff has staffing concerns for his own department. Officials said understaffing has not only caused this problem, but has also led to questions about how those school police and school crossing guard positions will now be filled.

“We have the same problems as the sheriff, which is staffing issues. Because there are seven schools here in Hope Mills, so in addition to the additional people here in the building, we would need to provide liaison officers for those seven schools,” Dollinger said.

Dollinger said he received a letter from Wright last Tuesday announcing his decision to withdraw his sheriff’s deputies from schools – just like the Fayetteville police.

Spring Lake is also pulling SROs and school crossing guards from CCS schools there. McLaughlin said the change has a big impact, but he, the police department and the school board are focused on finding a way forward.

“I see it as a challenge that we can be one of the first municipalities to actually be ahead of the game here and find something that is feasible in terms of the safety of our children and all of our citizens.”

Dollinger noted that it is ultimately up to McLaughlin, the city manager, and the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners to decide whether to continue using SROs in public schools. Depending on what they decide, his department will follow suit, the chief said.

For more information on the situation, please attend the public board meeting at Hope Mills Town Hall at 6 p.m.