The Shawano School Board unanimously voted Monday to permit off-duty officers with the Shawano Police Department and Shawano County Sheriff’s Department to carry firearms on campus.
The school district currently allows on-duty officers, like school resource officer Jody Johnson, to carry weapons in any of the district’s four buildings, but if an off-duty officer did the same, he or she would be violating federal law.
However, the law allows school districts to approve memorandums of understanding with local law enforcement agencies that permit officers to carry weapons, regardless of whether they’re on or off the clock. Shawano’s memorandum notes that officers are well-trained on how to handle firearms and when it is appropriate to use them.
The idea of allowing this in the Shawano school system came from Police Chief Mark Kohl, who had informed the district’s Executive Committee in November that a number of Wisconsin school districts had agreements with their law enforcement agencies. The local policy is modeled after a memorandum approved by the West De Pere School District.
Board member Michael Sleeper said he initially had been unsure why such a policy was necessary, but after further research and conversation with local police officers, he supported it.
“I had no realization or appreciation how critical it is for our people to have their weapon with them,” Sleeper said. “It becomes almost a part of their anatomy.”
The agreement officially takes effect after being signed by Superintendent Gary Cumberland, Kohl, Sheriff Randy Wright and School Board President Tyler Schmidt.
Categories
