WOODWAY, Texas (KXXV) — "It's just added protection for everybody in the community,” Midway ISD Police Chief Jeff Foley said.
25 News shared a story about Midway ISD deciding to create its own police department in January.
Now, the department is fully staffed with five officers — 25 News spoke with Chief Foley about the community connection developing with the officers.
“The kids and the teachers and parents can have that positive contact with the police that you typically don't get,” Foley said.
Susie Hughlett is a teacher at Midway High School who enjoys having the officers around.
"I think in today's society it's really comforting," teacher Susie Hughlett said.
“The safety here is a little bit better than it used to be, and I feel like the teachers feel more secure with that,"
Midway ISD used to have school resource officers , from Hewitt and Woodway Police Department, to help on campus.
“Well, they pulled three officers from their departments that where they if they were shorthanded," Foley said.
"They had three officers at the school, but they might only have two or three on the streets."
Now, police say the department is as proactive as ever.
“It really makes it a more cohesive team whenever we're dealing with critical situations on campuses that we can respond to it a whole lot better, versus people who have no idea what happens inside of the school,” Foley said.
There are two officers at Midway High School, one at the admin office, and one at both Midway and River Valley middle schools.
But police say everyone can benefit from their presence on campus.
“It gives us that first line of defense,” Foley said.
