Greencastle Schools looking to hire full-time police officer

Friday, July 11, 2008

The Greencastle School Board is looking to hire a full-time police officer to oversee security at all of the corporation's buildings beginning this school year.

Supt. Bob Green told members of the board Wednesday night that this individual would be a full-fledged officer, meaning he or she would be required to go through the police academy and would likely be armed with a weapon just like a regular police officer would.

Arming the officer, Green said, would be not only for the safety of the officer but for the students he or she is charged to protect.

"This is the day and age we live in," he said.

School officials will be interviewing potential candidate next week and hope to bring a name to the August school board meeting.

One officer will be selected and will handle security for all buildings in the corporation. He or she will be paid partly by grants, in addition to drawing a portion of his or her salary from the corporation's transportation fund and capital improvements fund.

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  • There ya go! Charge the athlete's for bus rides to games to make more money, then turn around and hire an officer. Geesh!!!!!!!!

    -- Posted by what_it's_worth on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 12:18 AM
  • Is there a problem in our schools we aren't being told about?

    Or is this just one step closer to a police state.

    If the problem (the one we're not being told about) is so bad as to need an ARMED police officer in the schools I'll be yanking my kid out of there faster than you can say accidental shooting.

    And we are supposed to partly pay this person with transportation funds? The ones we don't have enough of to get the football team from point A to point B!!

    This is seriously flawed thinking and I will be at the next board meeting to express my sincere outrage.

    Will you join me or will you allow your child to think school is a dangerous that we parents send them of to each day?

    -- Posted by paying attention on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 2:55 AM
  • There does not have to be a problem in school in order to have an armed officer there. First, they are charged with both the physical security of the buildings, but also protecting the students. And unless you can predict where the next unfortunate school shooting will take place, I think that it's a great idea. I do not agree with making students pay for the gas, however, I believe an armed officer is a good idea!

    Secondly, having an officer in school accomplishes many things. There very apparently is a problem in schools nationwide and if you are able to have a law enforcement official in the midst of the social epicenter of every young adult in our community, law enforcement is not playing "catch up". They are leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to intel, threats, developing problems (alcohol and drugs), as well as trends happening in OUR community. And they are already in place to deal with them. A GREAT idea.

    Also, having an officer in school fosters a sense of commorodity, teamwork, and accountability between students and that officer. Many studies have shown that students are far less likely to make common juvenile mistakes and far greater likely to surmount common juvenile trouble spots when they are accountable to someone whose opinion they respect. It also removes a sense of superiority and fear in the student's perception of police work in general.

    -- Posted by aellis83@juno.com on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 4:51 AM
  • Oh PUHLEEZE! The very thought of an armed officer in our schools makes me sick. I feel so bad for students in our schools if this comes to pass. Having an armed officer in the school will not "foster a sense of commorodity, teamwork, and accountability between students and that officer" but will foster unease, paranora and mistrust among all students and faculty. I am SO glad my kids are OUT of that school system.

    -- Posted by '74tiger on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 5:00 AM
  • 1) Problems with drugs and alcohol should not be treated with the barrel of a gun. That is for counseling and rehab.

    2) "Common juvenile mistakes" are called growing up. I'll teach my child to learn from her mistakes. Not to be afraid of making them.

    3) If there is some kind of "intel" about a threat to our schools, let us know. Don't just put an ARMED police officer in the halls and tell us it's for our own good because something "baaaad" might happen.

    This is not about some sort of Columbine waiting to happen. The chance of that happening in any school is incredibly small. (I know, "if it stops just one...")We are becoming, or already are, a nation living with the fear that something " terrible" is right around the corner. I'm sorry but I will not be a part of inducing fear in my child. (With the exception of possibly a loaded gun.)

    -- Posted by paying attention on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 7:24 AM
  • I wonder how well one officer can cover all of the Greencastle School properties. How observant can he possibly he while traveling from one building to another all day? While I don't claim to have the answers, I think the problem (if there is one) needs to be looked at a little closer before making any decisions.

    -- Posted by peachsac on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 9:08 AM
  • Why couldn't the school corporation just work with GPD and have one of their officers act as the school resource officer? The schools could pay for all or part of the officer's salary and benefits. By having a GPD officer there, it would create less headache and liability for the school corporation. The officer's main responsibility should be at the high school and middle school. There are very few problems that law enforcement would need to deal with at the elementary school levels.

    -- Posted by purple_heat on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 9:21 AM
  • I fully support an officer in the schools. I hope that there is an open application process for more than just one person allowed to apply. I would also hope that the school officials will consult with Chief Sutherlin to gather information and cooridinate some baselines in putting this new program together for our kids.

    -- Posted by Whynotwrite on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 9:23 AM
  • 1. The funding to pay the salary of a full time officer should not come from transportation funds or capitol improvement funds. These funds are in the yearly budget to specifically support the transportation department and the upgrade to capitol improvements of the school.

    2. Over one month ago it was RUMORED a certain ex-depauw security officer was needing a job... So his close friend (a board member) happens to create a full time police officer position for him.

    3. SO is this going to be a 9 month a year position or a full year?

    4. The starting salary should not exceed a starting teachers pay salary!

    -- Posted by nascar_Couple on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 8:14 PM
  • In all reality an armed officer is a great idea. Do you know Gpd already does this for free however; it's not full time and all the schools get coverage.

    A sworn officer will have less power in the school system than a teacher when it comes to students rights the only thing he will basically be good for is to call GPD when there is a shooter in the facility. Chances are they will hire some old geezer who has been away from law emforcement for awhile or has glorified security training.

    Overall analysis this will be a waste of tax payers money the good OLE' Boy system at its best.

    WAKE UP PEOPLE.GET REAL

    -- Posted by Reader2 on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 9:31 PM
  • I read it twice and still don't believe it. So many questions I have, like what's the officer-that's-just-like-a-regular-police-officer gonna drive? Who's paying for the gas and maintenance on the vehicle? Is the City Police Department so busy that they can't handle whatever happens at the schools? Or are we not trusting our City Police Department to do their jobs? I agree Dodger, THEY don't care about our outrage, but sometimes it just feels right to put how we feel in black and white and hope that maybe, just maybe it might make a difference.

    -- Posted by ladycoltsfan on Fri, Jul 11, 2008, at 10:12 PM
  • Okay good people of Greencastle, let's really READ the article. This is going to be an actual officer-sworn officer...with all legal rights and power! This is not going to be a security guard. The point of this position is not only protection of our children, but for the staff and to actually educate our students about the prevention of violence and drugs and alcohol...which, let's face it, we really need this. This officer will be able to act on any situaion without help or assitance from another agency...hence the reason they are to be a sworn officer. Having someone housed IN the schools makes them ON SCENE when they are needed. We actually are behind the times b/c most schools have already done this and have cut down on violence in their schools!

    -- Posted by Greencastle7 on Sat, Jul 12, 2008, at 11:07 AM
  • Just give the principal the gun...

    -- Posted by hoop2077 on Sat, Jul 12, 2008, at 10:48 PM
  • WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! Are our schools this dangerous that we need an ARMED officer! If it is I will yank my kid out! We asked our little girl, a student at GMS on a scale of 1-10 how dangerous she thought her school was and she said 0. We asked her about an ARMED officer at school and her opinion and she said why, is there a problem that I should know about? Parents need to be responsible for their own children. Does this mean that if a child makes a small mistake as part of growing up, she will not be able to learn from this because you can't make mistakes, it will cost you scholarships because of a zero tolerance policy, ridiculous! Make the parents accountable by having to come to school for parenting classes along with the student taking behavioral classes. I already see an officer around the school in the morning and the kids seem comfortable with this because he has children in the school. And the second part of this you are going to take funds out of the same transportation budget that they just talked about being short and the parents having to pay for athletes to go sporting events! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!!!! Is anyone else not outraged by this proposal by an APPOINTED board, when can we start electing our school board members!

    -- Posted by HelloMcFly on Sun, Jul 13, 2008, at 10:25 PM
  • I totally disagree with an officer, as stated by several we have a City Police Force, but with that beside ho many actual Officer required occurances have we had? Please don't include under aged smoking. chewing, or off property incidences. How many guns, knifings, assualts? Don't include bomb threats because no one officer will handle something like that. This is a waste of tax dollars, and if GCSC Police have arrest powers like DePauw he/she will be patrolling the streets out of boredom.

    -- Posted by Trying hard on Mon, Jul 14, 2008, at 1:02 PM
  • RIDICULOUS! There is no warrant for an "armed" police officer to roam our schools. I hope our community takes a stand against this, and shows up at the next school board meeting!

    -- Posted by tigermom on Mon, Jul 14, 2008, at 8:47 PM
  • When is the next school board meeting? Could some one tell me and the community when it is held and hopefully everyone will show up to voice their opinions.

    -- Posted by HelloMcFly on Tue, Jul 15, 2008, at 9:44 AM
  • *Will this person already have the qualifications that it takes to be a "full-time" police officer?

    *Or will they need to be sent to the police academy?

    *If so, who will pay for that?

    *I also an concerned with what they will drive? Will the school provide a police car and if so who will pay for that? More than likely they won't be able to afford to provide them with a car, but just in case.....

    *Armed for the safety of the officer as well as the school...that's a little off the wall don't you think?

    *Will they be provided with an office in the school?

    *Do you think the police office will have his own secretary to take all the phone calls from the other schools?

    *Will the school be providing insurance to this individual as well?

    *Do they have to state to the public what salary will be paid for this position?

    *I tend to agree, will he be patroling the streets between schools just to stay busy and if so, have they already budgeted that money for gas?

    *I can't wait for the next board meeting.

    -- Posted by whodouthinkur on Thu, Jul 17, 2008, at 8:14 AM
  • I guess we know now why they are wanting to charge athletes for away games. The money is coming out of the transportation fund to pay for the police officer. Our tax dollars pay for the county and city police officers why can't they patrol the school during their normal work day? I would think it would be a lot cheaper to have detectors at the entrances and make the kids use clear back packs before we would have to pay for an officer. Just a thought!

    -- Posted by familycounts on Thu, Jul 17, 2008, at 8:54 AM
  • Drugs are a problem in Greencastle schools, but guns,knives,etc give me a break. Im glad Im starting my family in a community such as Zionsville 96% of students college bound, I remember when I was young Greencastle wasnt a bad place to live thats all changed.

    -- Posted by Zionsville317 on Thu, Jul 17, 2008, at 9:11 AM
  • We do not need a cop in the school, I have talked to many high school students about this recent issue and parents and let me tell you ,this is weird. Why do we want a man with a gun so somebody can grab it, you just made the whole environment dangerous by adding a cop. Our kids are in a school not a prision. This intimdates them knowing that someone could grab his gun . This is an extra cost we the tax payers and I feel the voice of this do not agree with this at all. We do not have an angry school of kids, we have kids who have made mistakes but I don't think it's fair to the kids or tax payers to do this. Now you just turned school into a communist scene. What in the world are you thinking? NO TO SCHOOL COP. people speak out and come to the school board meeting.

    -- Posted by savethekids on Thu, Jul 17, 2008, at 12:15 PM
  • First let me say going to school in the Indianapolis public school system opened my eyes. I came out of a county school system and the first thing that I saw when I got to the public school system was violence. I got to witness a young lady that was 7 months pregnant beat across the stomach with a chain. That was well before the days of the internet and violence was more of a centralized thing, now that we have wide spread influence of many cultures and attitudes anything is likely to happen especially to children that are supseptible to influence to from anything to music to the images that are flashed across our idiot boxes. So seeing that a midsized community wants to employ a police officer to patrol the schools to me is a wise idea. Most of you that say you wouldnt want one there think about this: If there was an officer at a school and we had another incident like we had in colorado dont you think the likelihood of that officer to stop such aggression would be greater than to wait for a team to be mobilized to respond?

    Plus I would think that it would deter anyone from trying to devise such a plan.

    Also if we had a horrible incident how many of you would change your mind and point fingers at the government saying that your children were not protected.

    SPC Pickering, Edward R.

    76th IBCT Balad Iraq

    -- Posted by greenfacepainted on Fri, Jul 18, 2008, at 6:45 AM
  • Just an FYI

    Columbine high school had a school security officer at the time of the shooting.

    -- Posted by paying attention on Fri, Jul 18, 2008, at 12:37 PM
  • When is the next board meeting???? Everyone be there.

    -- Posted by HelloMcFly on Fri, Jul 18, 2008, at 1:57 PM
  • Aug.13th

    Board meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 at the Miller School on Anderson St

    -- Posted by paying attention on Fri, Jul 18, 2008, at 2:09 PM
  • I've been a substitute in the Greencastle schools as well as other schools. I don't believe this action is warranted, if the administrators in charge of discipline actually did there job there would be no problems in Greencastle schools. Instead of paying a new person why don't you require the vice principals to fairly dole out discipline?

    -- Posted by Siera on Fri, Jul 18, 2008, at 9:09 PM
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