Published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, by Eleanor Chute

January 23, 2014

Six Allegheny County school districts and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit are among 81 entities sharing $3.9 million for the placement of school resource officers and school police officers in Pennsylvania schools.

The announcement was made today by Gov. Tom Corbett and Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson.

The list includes: Bethel Park, $42,228; Chartiers Valley, $60,000; Elizabeth Forward, $59,055; Northgate, $60,000; South Fayette, $40,938; Upper St. Clair, $40,000; and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, $47,050

The expanded Safe Schools Grant Program was part of legislation written by Mr. Scarnati and signed into law last year by Mr. Corbett, also a Republican.

“Recent acts of violence have shown that we clearly need to do everything within our ability to keep students and teachers safe in their learning environments,” Mr. Scarnati said in a press release.

The state received 114 applications. Eligible schools and municipals could seek up to $60,000 for a school resource officer and up to $40,000 for a school police officer. Those receiving the grants must fund the officer's position for at least two years.

If funding is available, the recipients in 2013-14 will be able to get 50 percent of their award in 2014-15 without reapplying.

In reviewing the applications, the state gave priority to schools and municipalities where officers have been trained to work with students in schools.

(Eleanor Chute, "Six Allegheny County districts, Intermediate Unit get cash for school resource officers," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/23/14)