COLUMBIA SCHOOL BOARD VOTES TO HIRE SAFETY AND SECURITY OFFICER AFTER BOROUGH COUNCIL TERMINATES COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICER AGREEMENT

The Columbia Borough Board of School Directors remains committed to providing a positive, safe, and supportive environment in our schools. We continue to invest by upgrading our facilities with safety features, regular safety trainings, and allocating resources. At the August 24, 2023, Regular School Board meeting, the board voted to hire a District Safety and Security Manager. In addition, the District will post two safety officer positions to serve as security resources in each of our schools. These steps were necessary because:

• The Columbia Borough Police Department will not provide a School Resource Officer (SRO), a service which is commonly provided by local police departments, to all surrounding districts.
• Due to the police department not providing an SRO, the District worked with the Borough to hire a Community Safety Officer (CSO) for the Hill Campus location.
• At the June 13, 2023 Columbia Borough Council meeting, less than one year later, the Council voted (6-1) to terminate the Community Safety Officer agreement.

Due to the Borough Council's actions, the District has established district safety and security positions. These positions are intended to increase daily safety and security prevention measures in each of our schools. The District will continue to work with the local police department for any law enforcement needs.

We will advocate and remain committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders for the safety of our students and staff.

 In conclusion, the Columbia Borough Board of School Directors would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for our teachers, staff, and administration for their tireless efforts to create positive, supportive, and safe environments in our schools for the students in the Columbia Borough School District.

https://www.columbiabsd.org/article/1215179