The Utica City School District is investing in security for the future.

Like seven other school districts, they're hiring special patrol officers from the Oneida County Sheriff's Office.

Twenty part-time officers are being hired — two for every Utica elementary school.

This comes after County Executive Anthony Picente made $500,000 available to help school districts improve safety and security.

The county matches half of the cost for the officers, and will offer $4,000 for uniforms and equipment.

"Our first SPOs came from the Whitesboro Central School four years ago, so we've been building on our SPO units over the past four years but it's grown immensely since last spring when the county executive announced his initiative," said Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol.

The New York Mills Union Free School District along with Whitesboro, Camden, Westmoreland, Clinton, Waterville, and Sauquoit Valley Central School Districts also have school patrol officers.