The sheriff told a School Board committee that SRO staffing is generally one officer per school, leaving no spare officer to add coverage at a campus facing a threat without pulling one from another building.
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The board approved four new school safety officer hires and reported that the officers will work alongside school resource officers already assigned across the schools.
Albemarle County Public Schools
At a special meeting on August 4, 2026 called for that one purpose, the School Board voted 7-0 to direct the superintendent and chief legal officer to hire the law firm Harmon Claytor for a thorough, independent investigation of recent personnel matters and of how the division's policies and practices respond to allegations of sexually inappropriate conduct by staff. The firm is to be given access to all documents, data, witnesses and other evidence it needs. The board said it will take updates every 60 days and act on anything urgent in between.
At the July 27, 2026 special called meeting, the board approved a personnel and coaching list that included hiring Joshua "Luke" Owens (husband of board member Angela Owens) and Caleb Church (nephew of Superintendent Mike Goforth). Both Angela Owens and Superintendent Goforth signed written certifications stating they had no involvement in the respective hiring decisions and that the hires were based on merit and competitive qualifications.
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