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Board authorizes Westmoreland County juvenile probation officers to carry firearms on school property
Summary
The Southmoreland School District board approved a one-year authorization allowing Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation officers to carry firearms on school property from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026; a public commenter urged caution and cited Uvalde as a reason more guns can increase danger.
The Southmoreland School District Board of School Directors on Sept. 16 approved a motion authorizing Westmoreland County Juvenile Probation Department officers to carry firearms in and on school property effective Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.
During public comment before the vote, Bud Sannemeyer, identifying himself as a resident of South Broadway Street in Scottsdale, urged the board to reject the proposal. Sannemeyer referenced the Uvalde school shooting and argued that “more guns does not add to security. More guns adds to the danger.”
Board discussion noted that probation officers assigned to schools are expected to meet the same kinds of clearance and qualification requirements that apply to troopers or school police, and that if the board declined authorization probation officers might be required to make other arrangements or might not be permitted to work on school premises with firearms.
Why it matters: The decision changes the conditions under which county juvenile-probation officers may be armed while on district property. The board’s action was limited to the one-year period specified in the agenda item.
Formal action: The board approved the juvenile probation firearms authorization as stated in the agenda. The motion and second were on the record; a detailed roll-call vote with individual member votes was not read aloud.
What’s next: The district and county probation department will implement required clearance and qualification procedures for any probation officers who will be armed on campus during the authorized period.
