Goodyear expanding school police program

PHOENIX — Goodyear is expanding a program that puts police on school campuses.

After the school shootings in Connecticut, staff at Mabel Padgett Elementary School decided to let police officers use their campus as a substation during school hours.

“Instead of pulling over to the side of the road or going back to the station, they can stop at the school and do their paperwork, return their calls and get their work done there,” said Goodyear Police Public Information Officer Lisa Kutis.

Kutis said the program offers a police present for campuses at no cost to the school or the city. She said that it’s worked so well at Padgett that the program is being expanded to two other schools.

“The schools that have been added are Wester Elementary, which is in the Estrella Mountain Ranch area, and Centerra Mirage school in the central part of the city.”

Goodyear police hope this program will serve as a model for increased school security across the nation.