School District Celebrates National Police Week

CANTON, GA -- It’s National Police Week, and the Cherokee County School District appreciates its School Police Department.

The CCSD School Police Department, which was established in 1999, is made up of 17 Georgia P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training Council)-certified police officers – the same certification required by all major law enforcement agencies, and two civilian office staff members.

“Our school police officers have the same professional training, experience, equipment and responsibilities as officers who work in municipal and county law enforcement agencies, but they additionally are trained with a focus on serving and protecting children in a school setting,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said. “We greatly appreciate their commitment to keeping our children and employees safe and salute them for their service.”

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School police officers, in addition to providing law enforcement protection, overseeing emergency planning and management, conducting background checks and leading investigations, also educate students, staff and families. PASS Programs, regularly sponsored by the Police Department and PTA in schools across the district, offer great opportunities for parents to learn more about safety in schools, the community and on the Internet.

Police Chief Mark Kissel, who has led the district's School Police Department since its formation, has 42 years of law enforcement experience, a graduate degree, executive certification and is a senior POST instructor.

His department’s officers have an average of 12.5 years of experience, and a range of degrees and additional law enforcement certifications.

Each officer not only is responsible for the high school or middle school at which he or she is stationed, but also several feeder elementary schools:

• Emergency Operations Facilitator Todd Maloney;
• Operations Commander Lt. Dan Peabody and K9 Inca;
• North Supervisor Sgt. James Morris (Dean Rusk Middle School);
• South Supervisor Sgt. Richie Rich (E.T. Booth Middle School);
• Certification Manager and Senior Officer John Edgar (Creekview High School);
• Officer First Class Katrina Adams (Sequoyah High School);
• Officer First Class Beth Buffkin (Freedom Middle School);
• Officer Jake Cash and K9 Xena (Woodstock Middle School);
• Senior Officer Joseph Cordero (River Ridge High School);
• Investigator Elizabeth Endicott (Teasley Middle School);
• Investigator Beth Furman (Creekland Middle School);
• Officer John Hull (Cherokee High school);
• Officer Eric Maddox and K9 Ayla (Mill Creek Middle School);
• Officer Chris Mendel (Woodstock High School);
• Officer Brian Stevenson (ACE Academy);
• Officer Andy Farmer (Etowah High School); and
• Civilian staff Tracey Bearden and Kelly Boughner.

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Image via Cherokee County School District