SOUTH BEND, Ind. — As the South Bend Community School Corporation continues to seek more off-duty officers to work security in its high schools, REAL News Michiana has learned there is very little interest from area cops.
Last week, RNM broke the story about SBCSC looking to hire 10 officers for additional security. An email was sent to the entire department seeking interest. That email can be viewed below. However, according to SBPD Chief of Police, Scott Ruszkowski, it appears his officers don’t want to do it.
“Nobody has requested off duty employment at the schools.” Ruszkowski said.
It turns out, it’s a similar story at the Mishawaka Police Department. Officers there were also sent an email regarding the extra work.
“We currently don’t have any Mishawaka or South Bend officers working the extra positions.” Neil Graber, owner of Trinity Protection security, said. “I did have one Mishawaka officer for one day.”
Graber was asked by SBCSC to help fill the extra positions with off-duty police officers.
“Right now we have between 1 and 3 officers, mostly from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office.” He said. “I have had several South Bend officers express interest, I don’t believe they’ve filled out the proper paperwork with the department yet.”
Several sources told RNM, the Mishawaka Police Department is not approving any part-time requests to work at South Bend Schools.
“We honestly haven’t had any officers put in paperwork for it.” Mishawaka Police Chief, Kenneth Witkowski, said. “I guess we would cross that bridge when it comes.”
It’s not clear why there is little interest in working at South Bend High Schools, but several officers tell RNM they don’t want to work for a school district that’s been pushing anti-police ideology onto its students.
There has been a growing movement from the radical left to push police officers out of schools. Earlier this year, an administrator for South Bend’s Empowerment Zone kicked an SBPD officer out of an elementary school the day after a school shooting threat. You can watch bodycam footage of that incident here. The local Black Lives Matter chapter has also been pushing for police to be removed from South Bend schools.
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