Pocono Mountain police officer will replace state trooper at East high school

Aug. 27--A Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department officer will take the place of a state trooper at the Pocono Mountain East High School this year.

The district has paid for the state police school resource officer in past years, but state police are cutting back and will not supply one to PMSD this year, said Stephen Ferraioli, director of support services at the district. The Pocono Mountain Regional Police Commission agreed to the school's request at a special meeting Tuesday night.

Ferraioli told the commission the school received notification in July that it would no longer have a state trooper. The district already has two PMRPD officers, one at the West high school and another at the West junior high.

"We'd like to have someone in there obviously," he said.

The East officer would cover both the high school and junior high, Ferraioli said, which are connected. The district already had an officer budgeted.

Mount Pocono representative Roy Gross said he wanted to confirm liability insurance would cover an officer working outside of the jurisdiction.

Interim Chief Chris Wagner said a new state law allows it, and Tobyhanna Township representative Phyllis Haase said the commission would verify coverage.

Wagner said he was in favor of the decision to protect "our most valuable asset."

"I think it's an excellent opportunity, and anything to keep our kids safe in the schools is all right with me," he said.

Four officers are trained now to work in the schools, Wagner said. With the need for a third officer at the school, another will likely receive the week of training to help fill in for injuries or absences.

The decision also takes another officer out of the regular rotation, and the department is already "bone thin," Wagner said. The budget process could take that into account this fall, he added.

"We're really, really short," he said.

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