Former KCSD Officer Hired At South Whitley
June 20, 2018 at 6:23 p.m.
Former KCSD Officer Hired At South Whitley
By Teresa Carrano-
The announcement came at a 9 a.m. South Whitley Town Council special meeting Monday.
An executive session had been set up for Monday to discuss three candidates, however, when Hill’s application was received Town Marshal Mike VanDevender and Councilman Les Hoffman said the choice was clear.
Hill, a 27-year veteran of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, retired in July and has been working for Deatsman Grain Farm in Leesburg.
“My wife saw the school resource officer post and we prayed about it,” the Whitko graduate said Monday. “I didn’t have any particular plans to get back into law enforcement.”
VanDevender said Hill’s resume arrived in the last hour on the last day of the application period. The executive session was cancelled and the special meeting was rescheduled after VanDevender consulted with Hoffman, who was on the hiring committee, and councilmen Randy Cokl and Bill Boggs.
Although he coordinated the school resource officers in Kosciusko County, Hill never had a need to be SRO certified and plans to take the training in July.
He will start work at the SWPD later this month.
“He’ll represent the community well and take care of the kids,” said Cokl.
The council agreed to a $21.40-per-hour starting pay with a 50-cent increase after six months. Whitko Community Schools pays the school resource officer salary, however, the officer must be affiliated with a police department.
Hill will replace Scott Geist, who took the position as a temporary assignment when Matt Gilbert left the department a couple of months ago. Geist was the district’s first SRO and will return to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.
Hill, who started his career as a police officer in Pierceton in March 1989, transferred to the KCSD as one of two deputies covering that county in January 1990 as deputy No. 19.
He and his wife, Jody, have four children, and their eldest just graduated from college.
“I’ve done all kinds of school projects,” Hill said, “from preschool to Kosciusko Leadership Academy. I look forward to working with Whitko students and teachers.”
The announcement came at a 9 a.m. South Whitley Town Council special meeting Monday.
An executive session had been set up for Monday to discuss three candidates, however, when Hill’s application was received Town Marshal Mike VanDevender and Councilman Les Hoffman said the choice was clear.
Hill, a 27-year veteran of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, retired in July and has been working for Deatsman Grain Farm in Leesburg.
“My wife saw the school resource officer post and we prayed about it,” the Whitko graduate said Monday. “I didn’t have any particular plans to get back into law enforcement.”
VanDevender said Hill’s resume arrived in the last hour on the last day of the application period. The executive session was cancelled and the special meeting was rescheduled after VanDevender consulted with Hoffman, who was on the hiring committee, and councilmen Randy Cokl and Bill Boggs.
Although he coordinated the school resource officers in Kosciusko County, Hill never had a need to be SRO certified and plans to take the training in July.
He will start work at the SWPD later this month.
“He’ll represent the community well and take care of the kids,” said Cokl.
The council agreed to a $21.40-per-hour starting pay with a 50-cent increase after six months. Whitko Community Schools pays the school resource officer salary, however, the officer must be affiliated with a police department.
Hill will replace Scott Geist, who took the position as a temporary assignment when Matt Gilbert left the department a couple of months ago. Geist was the district’s first SRO and will return to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.
Hill, who started his career as a police officer in Pierceton in March 1989, transferred to the KCSD as one of two deputies covering that county in January 1990 as deputy No. 19.
He and his wife, Jody, have four children, and their eldest just graduated from college.
“I’ve done all kinds of school projects,” Hill said, “from preschool to Kosciusko Leadership Academy. I look forward to working with Whitko students and teachers.”
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