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Canal Fulton council approves sending school resource officer to state summit; chief seeks auxiliary officers
Summary
Council voted to fund expenses for an SRO to present at the Ohio School Safety Summit in June; during the meeting Police Chief Wilson also raised a plan to recruit unpaid auxiliary officers and said staff would develop policy details.
The City of Canal Fulton City Council on an affirmative roll call approved allowing a school resource officer to attend and present at the Ohio School Safety Summit in Columbus in June, with the city to pay associated travel expenses.
The approval follows a presentation by Police Chief Wilson that SRO Dave McConnell participated last year in a video for the Ohio School Safety Center and was invited to present at the summit about the department's Street Law program and its work with Northwest Schools. Chief Wilson said the program has raised student enrollment to the point that classes are beyond capacity.
Council’s unanimous voice/roll-call approval authorizes the city to cover the officer’s expenses so he can present at the summit. The council motion was made by Jean Ann Vandenberg and seconded by Mark Cozzi; the roll call returned affirmative votes from the councilmembers present.
During the same police department update, Chief Wilson described interest from retired officers at neighboring agencies who asked about serving as unpaid auxiliary officers for Canal Fulton. He said the auxiliary position remains on the city’s ordinances and that reviving it could let retired officers retain their commission and assist the department for limited duties such as parades and events. He said policy will be needed to define required hours and other details.
Councilmembers responded supportively in the discussion and indicated the chief should pursue development of a policy; no formal ordinance or hiring action was taken during the meeting.
Chief Wilson also told council the city expects delivery of a Morris Township ambulance to arrive this week or early next week and updated civil service activity, noting three candidates passed a test and that background checks are next.
The police items were part of the council’s regular administrative reports. The summit travel authorization is effective immediately; the auxiliary officer proposal will return as an internal policy matter if staff drafts formal guidelines.
