Local Sheriff's Office, District Partner For New School Safety Program

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is joining hands with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to improve school safety. Plans are underway for a new program that focuses on relationship building and prevention.

It's called Decision Points. The program would begin early next year, pending school board approval.

Law enforcement officers would visit middle schools to provide mentoring and talk about conflict resolution. The program will also help students identify what a safe school looks like and how they can best support that environment. Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough says they'll start in middle schools that already have school resource officers and expand from there.

When it comes to bullying in schools, “it will be about respect, it will be about responsibilities,” says Kimbrough. “It will be about everyday life and how do you enhance ... how do you plan ahead because most of us live in the moment. But we talk about preparation, we talk about [how] the decision that you make today will affect you years from now.”

Kimbrough says Decision Points is part of a larger school safety initiative. This includes the acquisition of new high-tech software for better surveillance in schools and increased patrol presence for SROs around bus routes. A second SRO position has also been added at larger high schools. 

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