Onalaska schools agree to continue school resource officer with Onalaska police

A program that dates back to the 1990s in the Onalaska School District will continue.

The school board agreed this week to a contract with the Onalaska Police Department to provide a resource officer.

With recent school shootings across the country, Onalaska superintendent Fran Finco said officers are familiar with his schools.

“We invite the police officers into the school to walk the halls and see where things are, what the layouts of the schools are,” Finco said. “Just so, if they ever have to come to the school, they have a feel for (the school).”

Finco says Officer Matt Jahr usually goes back and forth between the middle and high school, but will get to the elementary schools should the need arise.

Finco added that the resource officer, like Jahr has been, is someone students can talk to if they are worried about a situation or if there is a problem.