Fuller Returns To WPD As 5th SRO For Warsaw Schools

Lewis Fuller is back with the Warsaw Police Department and will serve as the fifth school resource officer (SRO) at Warsaw Community Schools.
Mayor Jeff Grose gave Fuller the oath of office Friday at the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.
Before Fuller took the oath, Police Chief Scott Whitaker said back on Nov. 15, Fuller celebrated his 15 years with the police department, which also was his last day with the WPD as he was moving on to the Columbia City Police Department.
“Excited to see on the agenda today is that Lewis Fuller will be taking his oath of office, his return to Warsaw P.D. and to Warsaw Community Schools as a fifth SRO,” Whitaker said.
Later in the meeting, Whitaker presented an eight-year interlocal agreement between the WPD and Warsaw Community Schools for the fifth SRO.
“The initial four-year term will begin on Aug. 1, 2025, and end on July 31, 2029,” Whitaker said. “An invoice will be generated by WPD quarterly in the amount of $28,928.81 over the next four years. Payments will be adjusted annually after the initial four-year term.”
According to the agreement, the school will pay the city $115,715.23 annually for the first four years. The school then will pay the sum of 75% of one SRO salary and benefits for the succeeding four years - Aug. 1, 2029, through July 31, 2033 - with payments adjusted annually.
To simplify it, Whitaker said the initial four-year term includes the officer’s equipment that they believe will last the full eight years of the agreement.
“It’s similar to the current interlocal agreement that we have with Warsaw Community Schools for the four current SROs. And I believe we are just finishing up year five of that eight-year agreement,” Whitaker stated.
Grose said the thing he likes to remind the community is, “These are Warsaw police officers, working with the school system. But if there is a need - any emergency in the entire jurisdiction - you’ll have the authority to use these officers in a way that you think is best.”
Whitaker said that was correct. The SROs are patrol officers of various ranks, but during the summer they’re covering shifts and working the road. Likewise, he said, whenever they’re not assigned to the school system, they’re assigned to the street.
“I really appreciate the school leadership. Chief, you and I, way back when this started, I can remember going through these different things as a council person and the Board of Works,” Grose said. “... It’s just a good thing to have officers in public schools in the entire area.”
The Board of Works approved the interlocal agreement unanimously.
After the meeting, Whitaker said, currently, the way Warsaw Schools has the SROs placed, is that there are two at Warsaw Community High School and one at each of the two middle schools - Lakeview and Edgewood. The fifth SRO will be solely for the elementary schools that fall within the jurisdiction of the Warsaw community. The school system will determine which school, which days and how long each day Fuller will be at the elementary schools. Fuller previously served as the SRO at Lakeview.
The four other WPD SROs are Sgt. Phillip Reed, Cpl. Brandon Zartman, patrol officer Kelly Bradley and Cpl. Jordan Roberts.
Whitaker pointed out the school system also has an interlocal agreement with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office for an SRO - Joel Popenfoose - for the schools outside of the city limits.