District takes initial steps for adding armed cops

Patrick Mannarino knows how he is spending his summer.

The superintendent of the North Hills School District will be writing policies and procedures to govern the district’s first armed police force.

The school board on May 11 passed a resolution authorizing the police officers.

“This is not a fast track. This is Step 1,” Mr. Mannarino said. “We’re not looking to rush to hire. We don’t rush to hire anybody in this district.”

In another security move, the board awarded a $44,676 contract to U.S. Film Crew for providing and installing safety and security window film on the interior of windows in all schools.

The police officers, who would be in each district school, would be nonunion district employees, unlike neighboring North Allegheny, which is hiring McCandless police officers for the two high schools.

Mr. Mannarino said two of the district’s three current security guards are retired officers who have kept up their firearms certifications and likeley will be hired for the police force.

The board vote was split, as was reaction from the residents in attendance.

Tom Kelly, Sandra Kozera, Allison Mathis, Lou Nudi, Annette Giovengo Nolish, Dee Spade and board president Ed Wielgus voted for the resolution. Board members Arlene Bender and Kathy Reid voted no.

“I don’t want to see anybody hurt. But I cannot, under any circumstance, bring my mind to say more guns in more places held by more people is safer,” Mrs. Bender said.

Before the vote, the board heard a presentation by John Bruner, a school police officer in Keystone Oaks. Officer Bruner said the intent of school police is to form a rapport with students, as well as educate them on such things as Internet and traffic safety, cyberbullying and drug and alcohol abuse.

“When I eat lunch with kindergarten kids, like I did yesterday, I want them to be happy,” he said. “I want to form a relationship.”

He said school police officers understand that the principals are in