Next month, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office will be named the agency of the year by the Florida Association of School Resource Officers.
The accolade comes about a year and half after Sheriff Larry Ashley decided to expand the SRO program into all schools following the fatal shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
The unit is now made up of 41 officers, including a canine unit, who are responsible not just for school safety, but also with what’s happening in the community around the schools. They also lead giving campaigns and offer students experience with public safety.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa school resource officer program wins state award