Officer Beth Jutting/Moorhead Police Department
MOORHEAD (KFGO) – Moorhead Area Public Schools is adding another School Resource Officer as an additional safety resource for students and staff in the district.
Officer Beth Jutting will join the district’s SRO team beginning next week. She will be based at the Moorhead High School Career Academy.
“We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Moorhead Police Department and are pleased to welcome Officer Jutting as an added member of our safety team,” said Superintendent Brandon Lunak. “This addition strengthens our layered approach to school safety and supports the positive relationships that are so important in our schools.”
With five new officers sworn in on Monday, Moorhead Police Chief Chris Helmick says increased staffing levels have made it possible to bring back the final member of the SRO team.
“We’re grateful for the strong relationship we share with Moorhead Area Public Schools, and we’re excited to see Officer Jutting return to the SRO team.” said Chief Helmick. “Her familiarity with our schools and her commitment to building positive relationships make her a valuable part of this work.”
The addition of an SRO comes as Moorhead Area Public Schools is completing a Safety & Security Audit conducted in partnership with Zeal Education Group, a national school safety consulting firm.
The audit’s scope included on-site evaluations, reviews of building access and procedures, collaboration with law enforcement and Building Emergency Response Teams (BERT) and surveys gathering perceptions of safety from staff and families.
The district has received the full audit report and is in the process of reviewing the findings and planning next steps. That work will continue through January as the district prepares to identify priority recommendations, develop timelines and coordinate resources for implementation.
“Our promise is to be transparent about both the immediate steps we take and the long-term commitments ahead,” said Lunak. “Adding an additional SRO is one important step, and the audit findings will guide continued improvements across our schools.”
The district expects to share the audit report and its initial response with the School Board on Jan. 26. Following that presentation, the district will communicate additional information to staff, families and the community, including a roadmap for safety enhancements.
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