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VIENNA -- After its first-ever school resource officer resigned amid criminal allegations and a replacement officer was rejected by the Mathews Board of Education, the board is now going outside the Vienna Police Department to hire a second resource officer from the Trumbull County Sheriff's Office.
District officials, including Mathews Superintenent Russell McQuiade, did not return messages seeking comment on the matter. However, an emailed statement from the district's public relations coordinator states McQuaide is expected to make a recommendation at a special meeting today to enter into a contract with the sheriff's office for a second school resource officer.
The district hired Vienna police Sgt. Michael Sheehy last fall as its school resource officer. He resigned last month after being indicted on eight charges, including theft in office and drug possession.
Board members stated previously they eventually wanted to have two school resource officers serving the district, which includes Currie Elementary in Fowler, and Baker Elementary and Mathews High School in Vienna. If a contract with the sheriff's office is approved at today's special meeting, the district plans to have the second resource officer in place by Monday.
Vienna police Chief Bob Ludt said four Vienna police officers are now filling in as the resource officer on a rotating basis. Ludt said he will continue to maintain the township's agreement with the Mathews Local School District to have a Vienna officer in the three buildings.
"I told the officers to continue checking and walking through all three buildings. We plan to continue our end of the agreement," he said.
Ludt said he is not sure why the school district is considering going with another agency for its second resource officer.
Trumbull County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Joseph Dragovich said Thursday the sheriff's office provides resource officers for the Bloomfield-Mespo, Bristol, Southington, and Joseph Badger districts, as well as the Trumbull Career and Technical Center. Dragovich said he believes Mathews soon will be added to that list, noting many of the communities the school districts are located in are already covered by the sheriff's office.
"We are not in the business of displacing any other agency. If our services are needed, we will be there," he said.
He said the cost of the officer is covered by the districts for the nine-month school year and the sheriff's office pays the salary during the summer months.
Mathews also is dealing with not having a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officer. Ludt said even when Sheehy was sick, another Vienna officer would fill in as the school resource officer, but Sheehy was the only one certified in DARE instruction.
Township trustees recommended the board hire Theresa Hartman, who served as a Vienna officer from 2008 to 2013 and is now a part-time officer in Hartford, to serve as the DARE officer. Ludt has recommended Hartman for the position based on her DARE credentials.
Mathews Board of Education President Tarin Brown said last month there were "issues of concern" with Hartman, citing a performance evaluation of Hartman in 2008. Ludt said police officers in their first years on the job are in a learning process.
Ludt said he will continue the search for another certified DARE officer although Hartman was one of only a few available. He said two officers in the department have expressed interest in attending DARE and resource officer training later this year.
Vienna Trustee Heidi Brown said at the last Mathews Board of Education meeting there is no prior incident that should prevent Hartman from being the DARE officer. She said Hartman is one of only three DARE officers trained in Trumbull County and the other two are employed somewhere else.