HARNETT SHERIFF REQUESTS FORFEITURE MONEY

LILLINGTON - The Harnett County Sheriff's Department wants a share of the
money that goes to the school system from confiscated property.

Sheriff Larry Rollins has asked the school board to consider giving the
department 75 percent of the money the schools collect from bond
forfeitures and law enforcement seizures, schools Superintendent Donald
Andrews said Tuesday. Under state law, the money goes to public schools.
Andrews told the school board that Rollins wants the money to be used to
pay salary and equipment costs for the law enforcement officers assigned to
the schools. Harnett County schools receive $400,000 to $600,000 a year in
confiscation money, Andrews said.

About 10 officers work in Harnett schools. The school system pays salaries
and benefits for eight officers, Andrews said. The city of Dunn also helps
pay salaries for a few officers. The Sheriff's Department pays for
vehicles, uniforms and other equipment.

It costs about $38,349 a year to maintain one deputy in the schools.

School board members said they needed more information before making a
decision. Donna McNeill, who represents District 5, said Rollins should
make a presentation to the board at its next meeting in March.

The other board members agreed.

"I'm still a little cloudy about some of it, as far as what his intention
is," said William Levorse, who represents District 3.