School board OKs position, city council to discuss on Oct. 15
By Robert Cloud
The Waupaca School Board voted in favor Tuesday, Oct. 8, of a second school resource officer.
District Administrator Ron Saari requested the second police officer in light of the recent threat against students and staff and an incident involving students bringing a vaping device with THC in it to school.
“In this case a vaping device was in the possession of the students and when tested, traces of THC existed in the vaping device,” Saari told the Waupaca County Post. “We do not believe they were used at school.”
Saari said the second officer would be assigned to the middle school and likely do outreach to both elementary schools.
Officer Wes Zube will probably remain at the high school, Saari said.
The district included $64,000 for a second officer in its proposed 2019-20 school budget.
“Times continue to change as has the society in which we live,” Saari told the school board. “Because of this, it is apparent that additional steps need to be taken to help protect the security and safety of our students and staff.”
Chief Hoelzel discusses second officer
Police Chief Brian Hoelzel said the Waupaca Police and Fire Commission recommended the common council approve hiring a second school liaison officer.
The proposal goes before the council at its next meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Hoelzel said the district pays for 75% of the new officer’s salary, while the city pays 25%.
The officer works in the schools for nine months and then works for the city during the summer.
“We want to be proactive. We want to be in the schools working with the students, educating them, rather than just reactive and responding to complaints,” Hoelzel said.
Hoelzel said education on the dangers of vaping is needed, as well as on the dangers of illegal drugs.
He also noted the growing number of social media threats against students nationwide.
“We need officers in the schools for the kids to feel safe,” Hoelzel said.
Saari hopes the district will have a new school resource officer in place by mid-January to mid-February.