A second meeting with Hancock Superintendent of Schools Walter Saunders with Hancock County Sheriff Scott Gittings and Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush resulted in the Police Resource Officers being returned to the original number of one police resource officer per school. The only change is that there will no longer be a roving police officer.
Saunders had initially proposed the reduction of four pro officers with coverage in the Northern part of the county reduced by two officers and coverage in Weirton reduced by two officers. Saunders proposed one officer to cover Oak Glen Middle and New Manchester Elementary and one officer to cover Weir Middle and Weirton Elementary Schools.
A public outcry went out from voters who said the recently passed levy contained $725,000.00 for police resource officers in each school and that the levy was promoted to the voters on making sure every school in the County having an officer.
In response to Hometown News’ question as to why Saunders was cutting the number of PROs, Saunders wrote in an e-mail response, “The limit of $725,000 is allocated for this entry. Our current expenditure for the PROs exceeds this limit. This not allow levy funds to be expended for any of the other security enhancements.”
“I spoke with Sheriff Gittings and Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush about reducing the number of PROs for next year. We are working on how we can support all the schools with PRO reductions.”
Both Gittings and Kush responded with a letter to Saunders opposing the cuts to PROs and pointing the dangers involved with schools sharing PROs.
A closer look at the numbers showed that Saunder’s proposal only allocated 75% of the $725,000.00 for PRO officers. The other 25% was to be used for “safety and security enhancement” listed in letter (i) of the Levy. When asked for a detailed account of what those funds would be spent on, Saunders said a list had yet to be compiled.
According to Sheriff Gittings, Saunders referred to the issue as a miscommunication.
Saunder’s proposal would have only used 75% of the $725,000.00 for Police Resource Officer with 25% being used for “safety and security improvements and services.” An e-mail from Hometown News asked Saunders to outline what the 25% would entail. Saunders responded that list had yet to be compiled.”
“Our current
