Riverside School District transition from security to armed police officers
NORTH SEWICKLEY TWP. PA. March 8 2018— An armed officer soon will roam the halls of the Riverside School District.
The Riverside School Board voted Tuesday night without dissension, or even any public discussion, to designate security guard John Ludwig, a retired state police trooper, as the district’s school police officer and provide him with a firearm.
The designation for Ludwig, who has been employed by the district for about eight years, must be certified in Beaver County Court before the move becomes official.
Board President Shawn Plassmeyer said solicitor Gregory Fox will file the paperwork with the court on Wednesday. He said a judge could sign off on the motion immediately or request a hearing, which would delay the process. But whenever the decision comes, Plassmeyer said Ludwig is up to date on on all his certifications and can take the new role as soon as approval is granted.
Under his new title, Ludwig’s hourly rate will increase from about $15 per hour to $20, which Plassmeyer said is what other school police officers in the area are paid. The district also has taken out $1 million in liability insurance for the remainder of the school year on Ludwig, with a $5,000 deductible, at as cost of $255.
The difference means Ludwig now will have the power to detain and arrest people in the school and will also carry handcuffs and pepper spray. But Ludwig said that doesn’t mean the district will not still be working closely with local police in Franklin, Marion and North Sewickley townships.
The board’s decision was applauded by residents who attended Tuesday’s special meeting. Plassmeyer said he has received little negative feedback from the community on arming Ludwig.
Resident Brian Cooper, however, did question whether just arming Ludwig was enough. He expressed concern that Ludwig will have a target on his back from any potential shooter since he is the only one with a firearm. Cooper questioned whether teachers who have concealed carry permits could be able to bring their firearms to school.
After the meeting, Plassmeyer said arming teachers is not on the agenda now.
He said the school safety committee, comprised of administrators, police and fire representatives and community leaders, will continue to discuss ways to improve safety in the district’s North Sewickley complex. The committee, formed last month after a 15-year-old boy was arrested for threatening to bring a gun to the high school, next will meet on March 19.
Because of the public outpour of interest in being part of the process, the district also is forming a committee to get residents’ input. Those interested should contact school director Christy Hughes.
“I want residents to feel comfortable we are going to make our schools as safe as possible,” Plassmeyer said. He noted his parents, he and now his children have attended school in the district, so he feels a strong responsibility to promote a safe school district.
“Nothing is going to be done overnight,” Plassmeyer said, noting officials have to go over financial ramifications of options and find ways to continue to involve local police in the process.
“This all is not something when I first ran for office seven years ago that I envisioned,” he said. “But that is where we are at, and we have to move forward.”
Riverside’s renewed push for safety comes less than a month after 17 people were killed in a mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school and in the midst of a wave of school threats throughout the nation, including at least 20 in the region, being reported since the Florida incident.
