Council OKs police to provide school security

ROCKFORD- Village council members on Tuesday night authorized the police department to provide two paid hours of security duty five days a week at Parkway High School.

Parkway High School wanted to partner with the police department to provide security at school, according to the agenda. The high school would pay the village $46 per hour for the security detail.

Village council president Ron Searight said, a police officer currently patrols the school. The difference now is that the police department would be compensated for the hours, with the possibility of creating a full-time officer position for the school. If that happens, councilors said they would need to discuss hiring a third police officer to maintain village security.

"The school wanted to have a resource officer and wanted to know if we could provide that because we've already been doing it," Searight said.

Searight said Rockford Police Chief Paul May would likely patrol.

Members discussed at length whether another full-time police officer position is necessary. It was decided that the first stage is to provide the security detail and see if adding another officer is merited.

"I don't think anybody here doubts that something needs to happen, it's just that it needs to happen correctly," said mayor Amy Joseph. "We are here to do what's best for the village of Rockford. (School superintendent Jeanne Osterfeld) is out there to do what's best for her students. Somewhere we got to meet in the middle."

Councilwoman Jessica Yoder supported having a police officer at the school.

"I work at the school," said Yoder, a teaching aide. "I see a need for it. I know what goes on there every single day. Just because you don't feel like your kids or your whatever are involved in that group, I look at behavior students every single day. I know what goes on in that school. I know people don't feel safe there. There are things in there that we need somebody. Some of our other students need protection from other students, whether it's a full-time gig or not, I do not know. But I am saying, I'm in that school every single day. I know what goes on behind those doors. Having an officer in that building would change a lot of things."

Yoder said she thinks the school's request for police security is in response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were fatally shot.

Council members also,

• heard village administrator Aaron Temple report bids for construction of the new water tower will be opened at 3 p.m. Aug. 23. Pond construction is moving along. Additionally, the village ordered a palette of deodorizer.

• agreed to pay bills totaling $40,364.08 and accept mayor's court pay in $191.

• learned the DORA cups were ordered.

• learned the village is updating and/or changing verbiage on the village's parking ordinance and property maintenance letter.

• heard someone is possibly living in a trailer on Jay Street. Council also heard concerns about horse manure being left in the streets

• met in executive session to discuss personnel. No action was taken after the session.

The next village council meeting is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at the village hall.