Pottsville Area School District petitioned Schuylkill County Court on Thursday to allow it to hire two more school police officers.
The district asked the court to authorize the hiring of Robert P. O’Connor, a corrections officer at Federal Correctional Institution/Schuylkill in Mount Pleasant, and John P. Zuratt, a police officer with the Branch Township and Reilly Township police departments, as school police officers.
As is the case with the current officers, O’Connor and Zuratt would patrol the Pottsville Area High School, D.H.H. Lengel Middle School and John S. Clarke Elementary Center buildings, plus the grounds of all district properties, according to the petition.
According to the petition, the district would pay each officer $18 per hour worked. The hours worked would be at the discretion of the school board, the petition reads in part.
Pottsville Area said in the petition that O’Connor and Zuratt have all necessary certifications and qualifications to work as school police officers.
The school board authorized the hiring of the two officers, pending court approval, at its meeting on Wednesday.