Sheriff: School Resource Officers Key as Lake Lure Classical Academy Sees Higher Crime Rate

Lake Lure Classical Academy (LLCA) recorded one of the county’s highest school crime rates for the 2023–24 school year, reporting five incidents of crime and violence — roughly 15.9 per 1,000 students — according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). That placed the charter school fourth in Rutherford County, behind Chase High, Rutherford Opportunity Center, and East Rutherford Middle.

Juvenile crime is rarely publicly identified, but the state provides aggregate data without naming students.

In June, the Rutherford County School Board voted to close the Rutherford Opportunity Center and Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School.

Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg credited school resource officers (SROs) with helping prevent violence and keeping overall crime numbers down.

“Our SROs are more than law enforcement — they’re mentors and first responders in the schools,” Ellenburg said. “When you have that consistent presence, you stop a lot of issues before they ever rise to the level of a crime.”

The county funds SRO positions through a mix of state, local, and grant dollars, assigning full-time deputies to all middle and high schools. Many elementary schools, which reported no incidents last year, share officers or receive periodic coverage.

Numbers May Not Tell the Whole Story

Experts note that crime data doesn’t always reflect the full picture. Schools with permanent SROs can show higher reported rates because incidents are documented, while other schools may handle conflicts informally. Policies on reporting vary by school.

“Underreporting is a reality,” Ellenburg said. “Not every fight or threat ends up in these reports. But the goal is to make sure kids are safe.”

Countywide Picture

Rutherford County Schools reported 73 acts among 7,061 students, or 6.9 per 1,000 — slightly below the statewide average of 8.1. High schools and alternative programs typically report higher rates, while most elementary schools report none.

As North Carolina expands the use of SROs and threat-assessment teams, officials say the focus remains on safety, even as discussions continue about how well the numbers reflect daily life in schools.