The School District announces a new School Resource Officer on the main campus.
Officer Ashley Rappuhn with the Peculiar Police Department begins work on Jan. 3, 2023. She will be based at the Ray-Pec Academy building, but will be available to support the high school campus, Ray-Pec South Middle School, Shull Early Learning Center, Peculiar Elementary School, and all district facilities in Peculiar. She is replacing Officer Ryan Leonard, who served one year as an SRO and is now returning to patrol.
She is pictured with Chief Don Shepard at a Peculiar Board of Alderman meeting in October when she received a Meritorious Service Ribbon.
Officer Rappuhn is originally from Michigan and is a 2003 graduate of Davison High School in Davison, Mich. She attended the MCC Blue River Police Academy, where she obtained her officer certification. She began working for the Peculiar Police Department in January 2022. She lives in Louisburg, KS, has four children who attend school in the Ray-Pec School District, and is active in the community.
The School District has four other School Resource Officers.
- Peculiar Police Officer Blake Chalmers is based at Ray-Pec High School.
- Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Cole Briscoe is based at Ray-Pec South Middle School.
- Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Mary Wilson is based at Ray-Pec East Middle School.
- Raymore Police Officer Rebekah Burns supports all schools located in Raymore.
The SRO positions are part of the district’s continuing effort to enhance safety and security for staff, students, and visitors. In addition to handling law enforcement matters, School Resource Officers occasionally assist with educational programming for students, presentations to parents, facility safety assessments, and staff training.
Mutual aid agreements between the local law enforcement agencies allow the officers to assist each other, if needed.