Pennsylvania School District to Hire Armed Security Officers for the First Time
After talking about hiring an armed security guard for a year, the Purchase Line school board pulled the trigger in October.
- By Sherelle Black
- October 18, 2019
The Purchase Line school board unanimously voted to hire a third party to provide armed school security officers for its campus.
This will be the first time that the district has hired security officers that are armed.
The district first began talking about hiring an armed security officer a year ago and most recently in September.
Board member Michele Buterbaugh said “it makes me sad that this is what our community and our world has come to, but I am on board with it.” She added, “I just need more details on what the (security plan) is going to look like and we’re getting there. I’m hoping at the next meeting we’ll have a better idea of where we’re going.”
The role of the officers will be to handle any “violence, crime, vehicle services, drug and alcohol activity on campus.”
“While it is devastating to think of a violent act being attempted in one of our schools, it is important to remember that our students, parents and staff are our best line of defense,” Ford said. “We rely on our entire school community to inform a school official if they are aware of any threat so we can thoroughly investigate, as we take all reports very seriously.
“It is unfortunate that we must think in these terms now. But this is the current reality and the Purchase Line district, the board of education, administration, teachers and staff are committed to doing everything possible to make sure students can come and learn in a safe and secure environment,” he said.
Although the district is still gathering information on potential firms, they expect the officers will cost between $50,000 and $60,000 annually, which they hope a grant will help pay for, reported the Indiana Gazette.
About the Author
Sherelle Black is a Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.