Newly hired security officer for the Chehalis School District Todd Thornburg, left, a former Washington State Trooper, chats with parents and students during an orientation at Olympic Elementary on Wednesday afternoon in Chehalis.
Todd Thornburg, the newly hired Chehalis School District security officer, stands in the hallway of Olympic Elementary on Wednesday afternoon in Chehalis.
Newly hired security officer for the Chehalis School District Todd Thornburg, left, a former Washington State Trooper, walks past the main office at Olympic Elementary School in Chehalis during an orientation on Wednesday afternoon.
When Todd Thornburg graduated from W.F. West High School in 1983, it never occurred to him that his alma mater would need a school security officer.
However, with the start of the 2015-16 school year, Thornburg is heading back to school as the Chehalis School District’s new security and safety officer.
“I’ve had a vested interest in this school district for a long time,” he said.
Thornburg, a 42-year Chehalis resident, brings more than 26 years experience in the Washington State Patrol, much of it in the organization’s Explosives Unit.
Thornburg’s children and nieces and nephews go to Chehalis schools, and family members teach at the school.
“As a parent, you want your kids to be safe — not just safe from an active shooter,” he said. “As a parent, I would want (security) at the school and I want teachers trained to protect my kid whether it’s fire, earthquake or an active shooter.”
The Chehalis School District last had a school resource officer through the Chehalis Police Department six years ago, but discontinued the program for budgetary reasons, said Superintendent Ed Rothlin. The district’s last resource officer was Thornburg’s brother, officer Troy Thornburg.
“When we were building our budget for this next school year … we put in a budget line for a school resource officer,” Rothlin said. The school initially budgeted about $70,000 for a resource officer through a partnership with a police agency.
However, Thornburg spoke to administrators about his upcoming retirement from the state patrol, and said he would be interested in working for the district.
“I think the district saw the need to have somebody here,” he said. “It was really good timing. I think when all these stars lined up it made for a good opportunity.”
The district hired Thornburg for a base salary of about $48,000 and bought a used state patrol car for $3,000, Rothlin said.
“It just became a win-win,” Rothlin said. “(With) somebody with Todd’s skill set and experience, we’re going to get more than I think a lot of folks get from their school resource officers.”
Thornburg’s first assignment is to be “visible,” Rothlin said. The officer wears a bright blue shirt reading “security” and carries a gun.
“I think my short term goal is to reach as many students and teachers as possible these first few weeks,” Thornburg said.
In the long term, he plans to educate students and staff, training them to be prepared in the event of an emergency.
“You know what’s on the mind of the public, it’s active shooters, active killers … Because I come from a law enforcement background, I have a different perspective,” Thornburg said. “I hope to bring that in and educate staff and students, provide them with tools to use … so they can in a critical incident use the tools necessary to react and overcome and handle that potentially life-threatening situation.”
He hopes to start that education in the kindergarten through fifth-grade level.
“By the time they get into middle school and high school they’ll know how to respond to a lockdown,” he said.
Thornburg plans to spend time at all schools in the district.
“It’s kind of a unique position,” he said. “I’m kind of like my own boss but I report to superintendent Rothlin. I’m available to each school as they see fit.”
As security officer, Thornburg is a district employee, rather than a contracted and fully commissioned law-enforcement officer. He said he has similar authority to conduct searches as a school principal. He will act as a liaison to the Chehalis Police Department in the event of any crimes related to the district.
Thornburg said he also hopes to spend time in classrooms talking with students about topics including drinking and driving, drug use and careers in law enforcement.
He also plans to work with the Chehalis Watch D.O.G.S. program and parent-teacher groups and to attend sporting events and social activities such as school dances.
“I’m a district employee but who pays the bill? We work for the city of Chehalis,” he said.
