Clay County School Board state approval for new police force

The Clay County School Board received state approval Tuesday to move forward with the creation of a new police force.

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The approval came just hours after the Clay County sheriff pulled his proposal that would have kept deputies in the county's public schools.

Action News Jax told you earlier in March when Sheriff Darryl Daniels pushed back against the school board's decision to create an internal police department.

He proposed the Board of County Commissioners cover 30% of the cost to keep Sheriff’s office school resource officers in the schools.

RELATED: Parents begging Clay County School Board to reconsider plan to create its own police department

On Tuesday, he posted an alert that he was removing the plan from the commission’s agenda because most school board members had shown no interest.

School Board Chairwoman Carol Studdard told Action News Jax the district police department will be equally as safe and more cost-effective.

“We have tried every way from Sunday to work out a solution with the Sheriff’s Office and regrettably we’re back to square one," she said.

Families said schools are one of Clay County’s biggest draws.

Jody Durrance explained, “A lot of people move out here to sent their kids to school. It’s one of the reasons we moved out here.”

RELATED: School district, sheriff at odds over law enforcement in Clay County schools

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