Josh Britton and ‘Johnny Bolt’ to serve as SRO duo at Baxter schools

Baxter Community School District has a new school resource officer starting this year, and he brings with him extensive experience in community policing.

Deputy Josh Britton of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office also has a dog tagging along with him: John, or “Johnny Bolt,” a Crisis Canine in training. Sheriff Brad Shutts announced the identity of the new SRO in an Aug. 11 press release. Acquiring an SRO for the Baxter school district took almost a year.

Newton News previously reported in March that the sheriff’s office and Baxter school district formed a partnership to provide a dedicated SRO to students and staff. Sheriff Brad Shutts said at the time the project had been in the works for over a year and finally came to fruition thanks to a grant.

Federal grant money will only provide a little more than $41,000 each year. The school district will allocate $45,000 during the 2025-2026 school year, then $47,500 in 2026-2027, then $50,000 in 2027-2028 and $52,500 in 2028-2029. Shutts said quarterly payments will be billed to the Baxter school district.

According to the agreement between Baxter and the county, the SRO shall be assigned a four, 10-hour day work week to coincide with the district’s new four-day school week schedule. At this point, the sheriff’s office has not decided who will be hired to become the SRO at Baxter Community School District.

When an SRO is hired on in Baxter, he or she will have to patrol the district and neighboring properties, provide safety and security at district events, facilitate in-service training, work closely with administrators and staff to ensure a safe learning environment and be a visible and active law enforcement officer on site.

The SRO will also act as a deterrent for criminal and delinquent actions and will coordinate security and crowd control at extracurricular activities, serve as the initial first responder and school safety coordinator for district emergencies, provide classroom talks, conduct security assessments and carry out many other duties.

Britton has experience with D.A.R.E. education and youth engagement. He and Johnny Bolt will provide a comforting and supportive presence in the school while also serving as a resource for students, faculty and staff. Ensuring the safety and well-being of students is a top priority for the sheriff’s office.

Johnny Bolt will be equipped to assist students experiencing stress, anxiety or trauma. His presence in the school will give students emotional support and contribute to a more positive and inclusive environment once he is nationally certified this fall, the sheriff’s office said in the press release.

Britton and Johnny Bolt will begin their new roles at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.