Since November 2024, both Hamburg High School and Middle School have had the chance to have a police officer on duty temporarily. Corporal Chase has been monitoring both schools throughout the day by going back and forth to each school daily. With him helping out at our schools, he and Dr. Gravish (have come up with the idea to create a School Resource Office Program.)
This program falls under a part of the Pennsylvania school safety codes. Under Section 1316-C, it requires that all schools must have one full-time police personnel who has completed state training during the school day. Schools were supposed to start this for the 2024-2025 school year, but for our school district, we were able to have a waiver for this year. The topic was also discussed at the January 13 board meeting which will hopefully mean that it will be in effect next year.
If approved, this program will be a way to improve the school environment by forming positive relationships. It will focus more on the idea of forming friendships and creating a positive environment with both the students and the police. The program will start by trying a no-punishment method to help the program grow. Corporal Chase will play a big role in this program because he is already familiar with school mentorships, counseling, finding resources, and solving problems. He can use his police training, previous experience, and knowledge of the law as a way to help in certain situations that are good, bad, and tricky. Along with that, he is also a good way for the school to be connected to the community, and to stay up to date with recent events.
Besides just being a police officer, Corporal Chase is also a father and a husband. He has a wife Sherry, and two kids, Lyla and Benny. Both of his kids participate in sports which amounts to nights filled of running around for activities. Besides just his wife and kids, he also has 2 dogs, a pitbull named Sofie and a Bully named Hank. When he gets the chance to watch movies or TV shows he tends to go for comedies, or his favorite movie, Joe Dirt. Another activity he does in his free time is work on cars and trucks, currently, he has 13 total vehicles that he fixes from time to time and then either races or shows them.
Overall if this program does get approved by the school board it will hopefully help make the school an even better environment than it already is.
