Police add school security, K-9 officer
by Laura Bednar
The Independence Police Department continued to combine safety and community connections by hiring a new K-9 officer and assigning a rotating member of the force to be the third school resource officer in the Independence Local School District.
Police Chief Robert Butler said he intends to have at least two K-9 officers in the department. Former K-9 Argo passed away earlier this year, leaving an opening that was filled by a new K-9 dog, Hank, who is almost 1½ years old. Officer James Kroeger is the handler.
As a first-time handler, Kroeger said he has worked with K-9 departments before. “I like catching bad guys, and I like dogs,” he said.
Kroeger will attend a six-week training course with Hank this fall, where the dog will learn to sniff out illegal narcotics, find people and property, as well as defend an officer and apprehend a suspect. Kroeger has been observing the training of other K-9s at Excel K-9 Services in Hiram twice a month.
His policing job will remain the same but, Kroeger said, “[Hank] is an extra tool for me to get better at my job.”
In addition to handling calls in Independence, Kroeger and Hank may provide mutual aid to surrounding communities without a K-9. When off-duty, Hank will stay at Kroeger’s home. Kroeger anticipates making public appearances, community visits and school walkthroughs with the furry officer. “Everyone loves dogs,” he said.
School resource officer
There will be a new school resource officer joining officers Jim Green and Troy Keegan, who patrolled Independence Primary School and Independence High School, respectively, and shared responsibilities at the middle school. There will now be an officer for each school building.
The city will continue funding two SRO positions, and the school district will cover the cost of the rotating officer for the middle school. Butler said the new SRO position is a side job for any available Independence officer, similar to how an officer signs up to patrol school football games.
An SRO certificate is not required for the rotating officer, though Keegan, Green and at least one other department officer have already earned it.
“Police need to be known and seen by the kids, learn the layout of the school, meet teachers and make an impact,” said Butler, adding that it’s important for the students to meet all of the officers.
Superintendent Kelli Cogan echoed this idea in a press release: “By having a full-time police presence in each building, we’re not just improving security; we’re fostering positive relationships between law enforcement and our students.”
Police have taken another security measure by storing a rifle in each school in the event of an emergency. Butler said the firearms are stored in safes in guarded areas, and only the police officers have access.
Technology
Two “blue light” surveillance cameras, one at Chestnut and Brecksville roads and the other at Selig Drive and Brecksville Road, have been used to answer questions after incidents like traffic accidents.
The cameras have a blue light mounted at the top and can livestream to the police department’s roll-call room. Butler said the cameras are not used to check speed but provide information about an incident for safety. If officers see something on the livestream, “they can respond before something happens,” Butler said.
Video is stored for three days and is only kept longer in instances where evidence is needed.
The plan is to add cameras to other areas such as Quarry Lane off of Rockside Road near the Winking Lizard restaurant, according to Butler. The cameras would be funded by the police budget.
Also a part of the department’s updated technology are new Tasers, which have flexible ranges: between 2-4 feet and as far as 45 feet. They also have 10 cartridges instead of two, giving the officer more chances to subdue a violent suspect.
“It’s superior, more reliable and safer for the officer and the suspect,” said Butler. ∞