TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The Twin Falls School District kicked off the 2026 school year Thursday with roughly 9,000 students across 18 schools — and a dedicated security presence at every one of them.
WATCH: Twin Falls schools opened Thursday with 7 SROs and armed guards at all 18 campuses protecting 9,000 students.
The district partners with the Twin Falls Police Department to place seven school resource officers across its campuses. Each SRO is assigned to cover the high schools and middle schools, while also patrolling multiple elementary schools.
"We have SROs at all of your high schools and middle schools — and then each SRO is also assigned to multiple elementary schools," Sgt. Shawn Appelwhite of the Twin Falls Police Department said.
All nine elementary schools in Twin Falls also have a dedicated armed security guard on site.
At Sawtooth Elementary, that role is filled by Charles Tatemootes, a former anti-terrorism agent with 30 years of experience.
"I was an anti-terrorism agent for 30 years — I have a set of skills that's pretty unique and I needed something to do after I retired — and the children are a weakness of mine, I need them protected," Tatemootes said.
Fourth-grade teacher Lori Hinton, who is in her 21st year at Sawtooth Elementary, said the on-site security presence gives her confidence every day.
"This is my 21st year and it has morphed and changed — and it's only gotten better... I can tell you that having someone on site — I feel confident knowing that he's always got his eyes on the kids and the things that are going on," Hinton said.
The Twin Falls School District says its relationship with local law enforcement is a cornerstone of daily operations.
"Personally, I'm grateful for the relationship that we have with the city and the police department — because we know that they're folks who are on our campus — or moments away — if we ever need anything," Eva Craner of the Twin Falls School District said.
New this year, the Twin Falls Police Department has launched a dedicated page on the city website featuring photos and information about each SRO assigned to the district, giving parents a clearer picture of who is protecting their children.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
