School resource officers warn of sextortion, propose SAVE club and no‑phone trial to curb cyber harms

Two Pewaukee school resource officers told the board they are focusing on internet safety, sextortion and cyberbullying and proposed student‑led prevention programs and stricter on‑campus cell‑phone rules.

Julie Budenhagen and Larissa Hildenbrand, both introduced as school resource officers, described their duties — behavioral safety teams, active‑threat and rescue‑task‑force training, canine searches, and school event coverage — and outlined priorities including vaping enforcement, juvenile mental‑health response and internet safety education.

Julie Budenhagen recounted two sextortion cases the district investigated: a 2020 incident involving a 13‑year‑old middle‑school student that escalated quickly after contact on Instagram and included threats, and a later case…