The Town of Hennessey agreed to temporarily provide the Hennessey Public Schools with a police officer to serve as their resource officer.

An agreement was approved by the town in a special meeting Friday morning, and will run through March, but could go until the end of the school year, if needed.

Dale Pazzo, the school’s current resource officer for the past two years, is currently out due to surgery, and the school reached out to the town for help.

Officer Aaron Pitts has been assigned to the school effective Monday. He has been on the Hennessey force for about three years and is a 2008 HHS grad.

“We want this to work,” Police Chief Hank Weber said. “Aaron will answer to me, but work for the principals…Make some inhouse decisions and handle problems at the lowest level. His main job is to protect the students and staff.”

Pitts will not be wearing “the para-military look” on campus, but will carry a side arm, Weber said.

He said Pitts has presented DARE programs at the school and has a good rapport with the students and administrators.

The school will reimburse the town $16.50 an hour for 40 hours a week. If an officer is needed for after-hour school events then the town will provide a reserve officer at that same rate, Weber said.

Trustee Wes Hardin asked Weber if that would leave the department “short-handed” and the chief said, “No,” and added that the agreement states that if the town needs the officer that he will leave the school.

All town board members were present: Mayor Bert Gritz, Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Keith Meek, Richard Simunek and Hardin.