Prairiland ISD to form campus police force

File / eExtra News

Prairiland Independent School District officials are forming a campus police department after its Board of Trustees approved a resolution to do so earlier this week.

After meeting in executive session to consider it, the board met in open session and unanimously approved the decision. In addition, the board approved the employment of former Paris Police Lieutenant John Berry to become the department’s first police chief, pending approval of the department by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Along with Berry, the department is looking to employ two additional officers to allow a police presence at each of its campuses.

According to Superintendent Jeff Ballard, the department is currently being fast-tracked for approval through TCOLE.