MARFA — The Marfa ISD campus is being patrolled by a new school resource officer, King Merritt, who is replacing officers Ian Martinez and Arturo Alferez Jr. in the role this school year.
Officer Merritt, currently a Fort Davis resident, has previous experience working as an SRO in Socorro, Texas, a suburb outside of El Paso. He also taught at El Paso Community College for 13 years. Most recently he ran for the position of Jeff Davis County constable in the March Republican primaries but was defeated.
His first day with the Marfa Police Department, which the SRO works under, was August 1, when he was sworn in by Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Dina Jo Marquez.
“Officer Merritt began as the school resource officer on the first day of school where he will be dedicated to Marfa ISD and all events held at Marfa ISD,” said Lieutenant Nichole Fuentes. “Officer Merritt has several years of law enforcement experience, including being a school resource officer.”
Marfa ISD has had an armed school resource officer since February 2023. This past January, the City of Marfa received a $121,500 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to help subsidize the position. The COPS grant will cover 75% of the SRO’s salary for the next three years, with the other 25% being covered by the city, which will be reimbursed by the district.
