Cass County Approves School Resource Deputy Contracts

New agreements will increase deputy salaries and shift more costs to school districts.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:51am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a lone police car parked outside a small-town school building, the car and building bathed in warm, golden sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually representing the new school resource deputy program's goal of improving public safety and emergency response in Cass County's rural areas.The new school resource deputy program aims to provide faster emergency response and enhanced safety for rural communities across Cass County.Fargo Today

The Cass County Commission has approved new contracts for school resource deputies, increasing their salaries and shifting more of the costs to the local school districts. Sheriff Jesse Jahner proposed the changes to match pay scale adjustments given to other deputies, with the school districts now responsible for 75% of the deputy costs and the county covering the remaining 25%. Jahner says having deputies stationed at schools benefits both students and the broader rural communities across the large county.

Why it matters

The new school resource deputy contracts aim to improve public safety and emergency response times in Cass County's rural areas, which cover 1,768 square miles and 27 small cities. By having deputies based at schools, the sheriff's department can provide quicker assistance in the event of an emergency or incident.

The details

Under the approved contracts, the school resource deputy salaries will be set at $60,778.12 with benefits of $44,876.91. The school districts will be responsible for paying 75% of these costs, while the county will cover the remaining 25%. The sheriff's department will continue to handle all other expenses like uniforms, training, and equipment. The county currently has agreements with five school districts - Central Cass, Kindred, Maple Valley, Mapleton, and Northern Cass.

  • The Cass County Commission approved the new school resource deputy contracts on April 11, 2026.

The players

Jesse Jahner

The sheriff of Cass County, North Dakota, who proposed the changes to the school resource deputy program to improve public safety and emergency response times in the county's rural areas.

Cass County Commission

The governing body of Cass County, North Dakota, that approved the new contracts for school resource deputies.

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What they’re saying

“The rural area poses some challenges in safety because Cass County is a large county, 1,768 square miles. And with 27 rural cities, if we don't have deputies at those schools, there can be a longer response time to get there if they have an emergency. So, really having those school resource deputies on site really makes a more effective response for us.”

— Jesse Jahner, Sheriff

What’s next

The approved contracts will now be sent to the individual school districts for final approval before being implemented.

The takeaway

The new school resource deputy program in Cass County aims to improve public safety and emergency response times in the county's vast rural areas by having deputies stationed directly at local schools. The increased costs to the school districts reflect the value these deputies provide to both students and the broader community.