Auburndale gets a permanent school resource officer; sheriff highlights traffic concerns on Highway 10

The Auburndale School District and Wood County have added a permanent school resource officer position, Sheriff Sean Becker said, with Deputy Jesse Nels assigned to the role under a shared contract between the county and the district.

Becker said the district and county worked together to fund the position, with "a portion of Jesse's salary being paid, and the county obviously paying the other." He said deputies previously provided targeted coverage at arrival and dismissal times but that a full-time SRO provides consistent presence during the school year. Becker also said the SRO requested a therapy dog; the department completed training and the dog joined the position.

Becker and host Melissa Kaye also discussed safety concerns on Highway 10 approaching Auburndale, especially at the intersection with County 186. Becker noted a past fatality there and said Operations Captain Charles Hoogersteiger oversees extra patrols focused on that corridor. "I believe DOT is going to do something to change at least that intersection of Highway 10 and 186 because it's a problem area," Becker said, adding that DOT processes can take time.

The interview included community outreach and fundraising details: Becker promoted a canine bingo fundraiser on March 26 (doors around 4:30 p.m.) with raffles, including a gun raffle, hosted with the Elks to support department activities.

No formal county board vote or new local ordinance was announced on the program; funding and contract details were described as agreements between the school district and county.