The city of Warsaw is working with Warsaw Community Schools in reviewing security policies and that will likely mean the hiring of additional police officers.

“I don’t want to get too detailed yet because there are too many things that still need to be worked out,” said Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, but as the school reviews its security policy, the city is working with them.

The city currently funds two student resource officers and one D.A.R.E. officer for the schools, but since October officials have been in discussions with WCS Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz about the possibility of the schools funding some of the expenses. “We were looking at trying to create a little more equity in supporting the three officers salaries,” said Thallemer. “We made a request that the school system try to participate in that.”

The schools, according to Thallemer, will likely request more SRO and D.A.R.E. officers. Thallemer told the Warsaw Common Council Monday night, “They’re in talks right now and, once we get the final understanding of what they want, we will be putting together a program … we may have to get extra officers hired this year to compensate for that.”

Thallemer told the council that he could not offer any additional details because there are still too many questions in how the program would work, but did say the matter will be coming to the council very soon for consideration.

“The city has a responsibility to provide what we can to the safety of our students,” he added. “(Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker) is putting together budget ramifications to figure out how to implement it, then we’ll have to get into contracts (with the school).”

A time frame for bringing a contract to the council for consideration was not provided.