Bivens named GASD safety and security director

Gettysburg Area School District (GASD) has named James Bivens as the new safety and security director.

The GASD Board of School Directors approved Bivens in the role at its school board meeting in December. Bivens previously joined the district as a school police officer in November 2022.

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“I am looking forward to continuing to maintain and build the best school police department of any district,” Bivens said. “The cornerstone of that is continuing to develop positive relationships with students, staff, families, and the community.”

One of the best parts of the job for Bivens is interacting and having conversations with students because he believes they must become comfortable with his team as they are with their teachers and principals.

From 1995 to 2021, Bivens served in Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), starting as a police communication operator from 1995 to 2003. He graduated from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy as a trooper in April 2004 and was stationed in Lancaster. 

Bivens also has held roles as a drug recognition expert, standardized field sobriety test instructor, field training officer, community services officer while serving in Chambersburg and Gettysburg areas.

In 2013, he transferred to the vehicle fraud investigation unit covering both Adams and York counties and later became the vehicle fraud investigation unit coordinator in 2020 stationed in the Bureau of Patrol at the department’s headquarters in Harrisburg until his retirement in 2021. Following his PSP retirement, he has been employed as a part-time patrol officer at Latimore Township Police Department.

“Our philosophy is: it’s not about making arrests, it’s about changing lives,” Bivens said, noting that sentiment held true throughout his law enforcement career. 

The director of safety and security is responsible for supervising school police officers, developing  and maintaining police department policies and procedures as well as patrolling school facilities and grounds in order to prevent any disruptive or illegal actions, according to the job description. One of the primary responsibilities is for the position to champion a safe and healthy environment for students, staff, and visitors.

Gettysburg Area School District (GASD), in partnership with the family and community, is dedicated to excellence and committed to maximizing every student’s opportunity to reach their full potential for achievement. With a student population of over 2,800, GASD’s purpose is to provide a safe and healthy environment in which all students can learn. GASD embraces its responsibility in developing a caring school community that enables all students to become active and productive members of a diverse and ever-changing global society.

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