NL makes school police officer position full time

Northern Lehigh School District has decided to make its part-time school police officer position a full-time position.

On a 6-0 vote, the school board on Monday agreed to take that measure, with the position to be funded through the Title IV, PCCD Meritorious, and PCCD Competitive grants. Directors Robin Distler, Robert Keegan Jr. and Michele Martineau were absent.

As a result, school police officer Matthew Houser will now make $21 an hour, plus receive medical benefits, which will all be covered through the grants.

Houser said after the meeting he was “very excited” to see his position go from part-time to full-time status.

“It gives me extra time,” Houser said. “There’s a lot of things to do.”

The board hired Houser as a part-time school officer in October at the rate of $18 an hour plus life insurance benefit.

That came after the board in August accepted the resignation of then part-time school police officer Kyle Kromer, effective Aug. 5.

The board in February appointed Kromer to the position at the rate of $18 an hour plus life insurance benefit, to supplement the full-time police officer role of officer Frank Gnas.

In January 2019, the board approved Gnas as the district’s School Safety and Security Coordinator.