One of the largest police departments in lower Luzerne County does not have a chief officer.
It's never had a chief officer, primarily because it was too small to need one in the past.
But the department has grown exponentially in the past year, going from two officers to 14 officers in less than 12 months.
The police department is employed exclusively by the Hazleton Area School District, and the board of education believes it's time for the district to appoint its own chief of police.
Police employed by a school district are called school resource officers, but they are Act 120 trained. They are armed and have arrest powers, just like any municipal police officer.
In May 2013, the district employed two SROs and paid for one state police trooper to remain permanently stationed on the high school campus.
This year, the district employs a total of 14 SROs (including the state trooper) and last month approved the hire of a 15th officer.
"This year alone we added 11 or 12 SROs, making us one of the largest police departments in lower Luzerne County," district Superintendent Francis X. Antonelli said at a meeting of the school board's security committee this week.
"It is recommended that the board approve appointment of a chief of police," Antonelli said.
Board President Robert Wallace said the creation of the chief position is something the district solicitor "has been telling us from day one this is needed."
The first step to creating the top cop slot is writing an official job description that defines duties, salary schedule and whether the position spans a 10-month or 12-month annual time frame.
When the board meets in regular session at 6:15 p.m. March 27, a vote on creating the position is expected.
According to the school district website, SROs currently employed by the district include: Trooper Christopher Bayzick and officers Michael Strenchock, Jeffrey Taylor, Christopher Minchhoff, Peter J. Quinn, Joseph T. Jones Jr., Nicholas Stetchak, Gary Ziegler, Brian Dalesandro, Stephen Demko, Robert Senape, Rachael Lenar, Richard Verbonitz and James Henry, who serves in the central office post as director of security operations.
In addition to the 14 SROs, the security department page on the district website lists 21 security officers, who work alongside the district police.
Last month, the board approved hire of the district's 15th SRO - former Butler Township police Chief David Pavelko, who recently retired from the township police department.