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<p>PLYMOUTH &#8212; Larksville police officer Joshua Evans and his K-9 partner will remain on duty as resource officers at Wyoming Valley West High School, even though Plymouth Borough officials have offered to provide that service to the district at no charge for 60 days.</p><p>In a letter released to the Times Leader, dated Aug. 29 and signed by Gary Kochinski, president of the Plymouth Borough Council, the borough cites concerns for the safety of students at the school.</p><p>The letter expresses concern that the placement of Larksville officers in the school would expose the borough to liability &#8220;for the actions of non-borough employees and unfair labor practices.&#8221;</p><p>The letter is the latest incident in a conflict that seemingly began last December, when Wyoming Valley West officials and Plymouth Borough officials disagreed over the use of Plymouth police personnel, then providing resource officer services to the high school, in directing school bus traffic in front of the school following afternoon dismissal.</p><p>At that time, Plymouth officials said allowing school buses to leave the high school en masse violated state law and unnecessarily delayed motorists.</p><p>As the conflict unfolded, Wyoming Valley West officials, including board president Joseph Mazur, alleged the Plymouth Borough officer assigned to the school left his post often and refused to sign in and out.</p><p>Plymouth Borough Mayor Dorothy Petrosky, who serves as head of the police department, in an interview with the Times Leader, countered that the school district was utilizing the resource officer &#8220;as a babysitter&#8221; and the officer needed to leave the school periodically to attend court.</p><p>In a letter dated June 3 provided to the Times Leader, Plymouth Police Chief Ryan Williams indicated Plymouth Borough would no longer provide the high school with a resource officer.</p><p>In late July, citing the need to provide protection for students at the school during the then upcoming school year, the district met with John Edwards, Larksville police chief, regarding the feasibility of the department providing police services at the high school.</p><p>School board officials, including board vice president David Usavage, cited the district&#8217;s successful use of Larksville police as resource officers at State Street School in Larksville.</p><p>Following those discussions, Plymouth Borough Council announced its intent to withdraw from the police mutual aid agreement that included Plymouth, Larksville, Edwardsville, Courtdale and Plymouth Township, originally implemented in 1974.</p><p>Council members said the decision was unrelated to the district&#8217;s discussion with Larksville police, saying the agreement was outdated and opened participating boroughs to liability.</p><p>School board officials said after consultation with solicitor Charles Coslett regarding legalities, they decided to move forward in retaining Larksville police as resource offices at the high school, finalizing that agreement at a school board meeting held Aug. 24.</p><p>Coslett said he had recently approached Plymouth borough solicitor Michael Kostelansky, offering to enter an agreement with Plymouth Borough in which the district would &#8220;hold the borough harmless&#8221; in regard to any liability incurred while Larksville police officers are at the high school.</p><p>Coslett said Kostelansky declined to enter into such an agreement on behalf of the borough.</p><p>&#8220;After such incidents as Columbine, Sandy Hook and Virginia Tech, we need to take school safety seriously,&#8221; said Coslett. &#8220;I really don&#8217;t understand why Plymouth Borough has responded this way.&#8221;</p><p>Kostelansky believes that, under state law, it is improper for Larksville police to serve as resource officers at the high school.</p><p>&#8220;Although police officers have authority in other jurisdictions in certain circumstance under statewide municipal police jurisdiction legislation,&#8221; Kostelansky said, &#8220;this is not one of those exceptions.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_una-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Larksville police officer Joshua Evans with K-9 officer Una </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_una-5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Larksville police officer Joshua Evans with K-9 officer Una </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Larksville police officer to remain on duty at Wyoming Valley West High School