Liberty school board hires township cop for school security

LIBERTY — The Liberty Board of Education has contracted with the Liberty Police Department to hire a security guard during school hours. The guard started Monday.

Police department officers can be hired to do the job as off-duty employment at a rate of $23 an hour, according to police Chief Richard Tisone. He said officers can sign up for shifts, so there can be different officers at the district throughout the week.

“We are more than happy to be there in these times we are going through right now. Giving parents a peace of mind knowing there’s an armed officer present will ease some fears,” Tisone said.

The employment comes at a time where several school districts throughout the Mahoning Valley have begun cracking down on threats, as more students are reporting their classmates for any comments or social media posts that are perceived as threatening.