TURTLE CREEK, Pa. — The Butler Area School District is ready to be the first in the county to create its own school police force.
According to our partners at Butler Radio, the school board voted unanimously Monday night to move forward with plans to create a new force authorized to arrest and use such as Tasers.
Right now, the district uses retired Pennsylvania State Police troopers to protect the school.
This is just the latest step by local school districts to increase security and protect students.
At Woodland Hills High School Tuesday, students, teachers and administrators say more needs to be done to address mental health issues.
The Governor's Task Force on School Safety faced criticism from high school students who contend many on the task force are out of touch and don't know what's going on behind the school walls.
"We know what's going on as students and they like to say they know what's going on, but really they have no clue," said Kyle Fogarty, a senior at Woodland Hills High School.
Other students urged the task force to tackle mental health issues facing students, who say that's their biggest concern.
TRENDING NOW:
- Drug kingpin 'La Barbie' gets 49-year sentence for 'despicable' crimes
- Woman found dead in home after fire; 3 firefighters treated
- Heinz Field announces deal with official tailgate provider
- VIDEO: Pitcher Consoles Friend Before Celebrating State Tournament Win
"We need guidance counselors and officers and people just communicating with the kids and getting involved with the students because at the end of the day, you have to make sure that they're all mentally stable," said Rhiya Godhania-Carter, a junior at Woodland Hills High School.
Gov. Tom Wolf created the task force after a school shooting and Florida.
The meeting Tuesday was the sixth, and final, that allowed them to hear from teachers, administrators, parents, police officers and students.
"What we've seen are wonderful students across this entire state who really are dedicated to their schools, are dedicated to their own education and really dedicated to the safety of their schools," said Pennsylvania Homeland Security Director Marcus Brown.
[ DOWNLOAD THE CHANNEL 11 NEWS APP ]
The task force will now come up with a list of recommendations for districts to improve safety.
"We are going to continue to advocate and move aggressively in a direction that we focus on the holistic needs of kids," said Pedro Rivera, secretary of education.
The task force will likely issue recommendations in several weeks and they say it will be up to individual districts if they want to implement them.
11 Investigates recently talked with Pittsburgh Public Schools about metal detectors used to screen students.
The district has used the detectors for more than 15 years and says they act mainly as a deterrent.
The superintendent of the Washington School District told 11 Investigates he thought metal detectors would hurt communication between students and faculty.