Officer back in Canfield Schools

By Elise Franco

CANFIELD — Patrolman Paul Lasky could be back at his post inside the Canfield School District before the end of the month.

Township trustees voted unanimously at Tuesday’s board meeting to pay half of Lasky’s salary for the nine months he spends inside the schools.

“We’ve gotten a great deal of input over the last six to eight weeks,” Trustee Bill Reese said. “And we all feel we need a student resource officer in our schools.”

The township is responsible for $30,000 of Lasky’s salary, which is half of what he is paid during the nine months school is in session, Reese said. Lasky’s total annual salary is about $80,000, said City Manager Chuck Tieche.

Reese said Canfield City Council also has to approve the new agreement, but Lasky could be back in the district within the next two weeks. He is working on the road as a patrol officer.

In a 2-1 vote in August, the trustees voted not to fund their half of Lasky’s salary because they wanted to gather more information on the officer and his duties inside the district. Reese and Trustee Dick Puerner cast the dissenting votes.

“We talked to 50 to 75 kids to get input,” Reese said. “And we got a lot of input.”

Puerner also previously said they wanted to look into putting an officer with a lower salary in the district. He said he and Trustee Randy Brashen met with Superintendent Dante Zambrini recently and gained a clearer perspective on why Lasky is the officer who should be patrolling the schools.

“He also told us some things about the officer’s job that he has never told anybody,” Brashen said. “We have an excellent handle on it now.”

Canfield Police Chief Chuck Colucci said he’s happy the city and township were able to come to an agreement.

“I think it’s a good thing for the community, a good thing for the schools and good thing for the police department,” he said.

efranco@vindy,com