HAZLETON -- A school district in Luzerne County not only has its own police force but now it has its own police chief.
The Hazleton Area School District believes it may be the first district in the state to hire that position.
The Hazleton Area School district police force, which is a mixture of trained police and security officers, is actually larger than the city of Hazleton's police department.
Thursday night, the school board hired someone to be in charge of the school police force.
Almost 11,000 students and 13 buildings make up the Hazleton Area School District. Because of that size, the district has 60 full-time employees working to keep those students safe. Fourteen of those employees are certified police officers who carry a weapon and can make an arrest.
"We really see a need for having someone to oversee the daily operational management of the department," said Hazleton Area Superintendent Francis Antonelli.
That's why the school board hired Frank Hacken to be the Hazleton Area School District's new police chief. Hacken has worked for the state police and on college campuses. His $72,500 salary was already figured into the school budget.
"Unfortunately, what happens in the community invariably will spill over into the schools."
That's why the school hired its own police force in the first place two years ago, to combat things such as crimes, drugs and gang-related activities.
"We have to assure our parents that our schools are safe and those issues aren't spilling over into our school buildings."
Officers who already work in the school district tell Newswatch 16, it's a good thing they're getting a chief because it means the officers can do their job and they'll even get some help.
"Every day I'm working on something, working investigations, or dealing with students' problems, situations within the school district or problems that lead out of the district," said Officer Chris Capasso, Hazleton Area School District police.
Parents say they're glad to know someone will be in charge of managing the police in their children's schools.
"Safety is priority. There's too many things going on in schools nowadays. We definitely need our kids safe," said Lori Torstrup of Freeland.
The new Hazleton Area police chief is set to start his duties next month.