After allegations that former Lincoln County School District bus driver Charles Davis touched a child inappropriately, questions were raised about why the district didn’t have surveillance cameras on the school buses as they do in the Brookhaven School District.

A Lincoln County jury found Davis not guilty after a two-day trial that ended June 16.

Superintendent Mickey Myers said cameras on buses have been a goal of his from the moment he took office in January.

“I inherited an affection for school transportation,” Myers said. “My dad lived, breathed and slept it. He trained bus drivers in the state of Mississippi for many, many years. He’s always indicated to me the importance of a state bus and competent drivers. That’s an integral part. To educate the child, we have to get them to school safely.”

Myers said on advice from the school district’s attorney, he could not say whether or not Davis would be able to return as a bus driver after being found not guilty in his June trial, but he denied that Davis had contacted the district following the acquittal.

“It’s an unfortunate situation, obviously,” Myers said.

Director of Transportation Stacy Adcock was similarly unable to speak on the issue, but he testified in the Davis trial that his conversation with Davis following the incident made him deeply uncomfortable. Adcock also testified that there was no reason for a bus driver to be playing with a child in a professional setting.

Myers said the employee handbook has not changed as a result of the incident, but that Adcock should address similar issues in meetings with bus drivers.

A surveillance camera on Davis’ school bus could have captured the incident between the driver and the young girl.

Myers said surveillance cameras should prevent further incidents. In the 2016-17 LCSD budget, $500,000 was allocated to buy four new buses, each of which will feature a surveillance camera.

Myers said there is more to come.

“We should have a proposal very soon were we should be putting cameras on all buses in the district,” Myers said. “We’re going to look at the viability of it.”