State troopers making school visits part of daily routine

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police troopers are now under orders to visit schools and colleges every shift in areas where they are the primary police force.

Gov. Tom Wolf's administration made the announcement Tuesday, citing findings from a school safety task force set up in the wake of February's high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Wolf's administration says school officials requested a stronger police presence.

Troopers are the primary police force in nearly 1,300 municipalities. Spokesman Ryan Tarkowski says it hasn't been unusual in the past for troopers to drop in on schools during routine patrols, but this new policy mandates that it happen one per shift.

Tarkowski says a visit could amount to a trooper driving around the school's perimeter, or stopping in to talk with school staff or students.

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