Private Officer Magazine
  • Breaking News
    • Retail/LP
    • Schools
    • Church
  • About
  • Contact

Breaking News

  • Arkansas police officer ambushed and killed at police station
  • Line of Duty Death: Sergeant Christopher Brewster
  • Florida school security officer pawns firearm, brings pellet gun to work
  • Dayton Security Guard Found Guilty For Shooting Man to Death
  • School security officer cut with bladed instrument while stopping fight
  • Women arrested for allegedly filling purses with $18,000 worth of stolen merchandise
  • NYPD Officer Injured By Razor Blade In Queens Deli Sandwich
  • Brinks security officer, good Samaritan shot during robbery attempt
  • Security guard run over outside St George Co-op – woman arrested
  • LA Dodgers Fan Sues Team for Alleged Lack of Security
Mohawk High School

Mohawk Area School District forms police department-hires chief

August 11, 2019

Mohawk High School

New Castle PA Aug 10 2019

The Mohawk Area School District has taken its first step toward creating its own police department.

Former Union Township police officer Joseph Caiazza of Volant was hired on Tuesday to serve as chief of the Mohawk Area School District Police Department.

He will be paid $47,000 for the next two years. His salary is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, said school superintendent Michael Leitera. Caiazza will be the only full-time employee of the department

Also hired were eight officers who will make up the department. Leitera did not release names of the officers, all of whom will be part-time employees.

“I haven’t yet notified all eight, and I still need certifications from some of them,” he said. He noted that all of the officers hired by the district had already worked security in some capacity within the district. He said all have the Act 120 training or are retired Pennsylvania State Police officers. Within six months, he said, all will be required to also have National Association of School Resource Officers training as well.

“We’re lucky to keep people who are familiar with our students, their families, the staff and the district,” he said.

Leitera said all of the officers will be court appointed, sworn in by a judge or district judge, and will have full police powers within the school buildings and grounds. He added, “This is just the beginning. We’re looking to get more officers.”

Leitera said he expects to recruit officers from North Beaver and Mahoning townships, Bessemer and other police departments within the district. In addition to day shift, the department will have to fill a night shift and special events at the school including sports events that require security.

“Our officers will be part-time so they will most likely work part-time for other departments too,” he said. He said the officers will be paid $21 per hour.

After the district announced plans to begin its own police department in June, Leitera said at least 15 qualified candidates expressed interest in the job.

Leitera said he believes the school got an outstanding candidate.

He said Caiazza has degrees in criminal justice and public safety and emergency management, a master’s degree in criminal justice management and is a professor at Westminster College. He also has experience as a code enforcement officer.

He said Caiazza served as police captain in Leeds County, Florida.

He served as a Union Township police officer from 1976 to 1980. He was a school resource officer for nine years in Florida  and in 1983 helped to start the first School Resource Officer program in Florida, Leitera said. He said Caiazza also has had training as an emergency response/unified incident command leader and has had experience dealing with three hurricanes and related natural disasters.

“The Bush family also had a residence within his jurisdiction,” Leitera said. “He worked with the Secret Service to provide security for a former president, sitting president and governor of Florida.”

Leitera added that Caiazza has firearms training and is experienced in use of force.

“Hiring a chief is the first step we needed to take in creating our own police department,” Leitera said. “We’ve done that. Now he will meet the staff.”

He said uniforms and badges have been ordered and the chief and officers will be in place and ready to go when students return to school on Aug. 22.

“It will probably be the end of September before everything is fully in place,” Leitera said.

Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook on Google+

Related Posts

Breaking News /

Arkansas police officer ambushed and killed at police station

Image result for vaping teen

Campus Police /

Hancock County school resource officers issuing tickets for underage vaping

Image result for Sergeant Christopher Brewster

General Security /

Line of Duty Death: Sergeant Christopher Brewster

‹ Worker threatened to ‘blow up’ Atlanta Braves’ stadium, ‘shoot everyone there,’ arrest warrant says › Chilling footage shows security guard being attacked by axe-wielding robbers

Stay Informed

Thanks for signing up!

Sign up for POI newsletter and Email Alerts

Recent Posts

  • Arkansas police officer ambushed and killed at police station
  • Line of Duty Death: Sergeant Christopher Brewster
  • Florida school security officer pawns firearm, brings pellet gun to work
  • Dayton Security Guard Found Guilty For Shooting Man to Death
  • School security officer cut with bladed instrument while stopping fight

Archives

  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017

Older Archives

Categories

Back to Top

© Private Officer Magazine 2019