ALACHUA COUNTY - Alachua County elementary schools now have a permanent deputy in their schools - the deputies will no longer be rotating out.

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office says permanent deputies allow kids to foster a relationship with the person.

The deputy is in each school to keep it safe but to also foster something deeper - an understanding of the law. Deputy Robert Nicol patrols Newberry Elementary School and says he wants to do just that - "I've been in different neighborhoods as a patrol deputy where as soon as they saw law enforcement the kids would run, and we are tying to get to that point where we are are not the bad people. We want them to see that we want to help and that's what we are working on here at this school."

To keep the same deputy in each school, the Sheriff's Office had to cut the traffic department completely and a part of the community outreach department.

The Sheriff has not set an expiration date for how long the deputies will remain.