Rogers County Deputies Step Up Security At Local High School Football Games

The Rogers County Sheriff's Office is stepping up security at high school football games in light of all that happened last weekend in other towns. 

The sheriff has approved overtime for two deputies to be at every game. 

This is Deputy Sheldon Morgan's second year as the school resource deputy at Inola Public Schools, and keeping people safe in this district is personal. 

"My sister, she goes here, family, but not only the community I grew up in; it just makes it that much more close to home, these people you love and care about and want to protect," he said. 

He loves protecting the school where he graduated and says what's happening at high school football games across the state is concerning. 

"Truth is, you never know when it's going to happen, you never know how it's going to happen, so the best we can do is prepare, prepare, prepare," he said. 

Sheriff Scott Walton has approved overtime for two deputies to patrol each district football game that may not have the resources to have their own security. 

He says this is a $12,000 investment in local schools. 

"These small towns in these communities, they work together, they think together, and we are not afraid to take that overt step to make sure these kids and families are enjoying a sporting event in the safest possible way they can," Sheriff Walton said. 

Inola will now have four total deputies at the next game. 

Superintendent Jeff Unrau says while people may never expect anything to happen in Inola, it can, and they need to be prepared. 

"If it can happen in Choctaw, it can happen anywhere, and there are places everywhere that, unfortunately, no one is immune to it, as big or small as you may be," he said. 

He says it's his job to make sure people will stay safe and the kids in Inola will have a future. 

"Whether it's on a professional level or a personal level, my number one job is to keep them safe, and we will go to any measure we need to make sure that happens," he said. 

These security measures will officially be in place at the next home football game in Inola in four weeks.