Paul Epps is director of safety and security for the Butler Area School District. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle

Paul Epps, Butler Area School District’s director of safety and security, said one of the biggest changes he experienced in his 16 years with the district happened in 2012.

“When I first started, we weren’t armed,” Epps said. “After the Sandy Hook shooting, then all of our officers became armed.”

Epps, who has been with the district since 2007, said the decision was ultimately prophetic.

“I’d like to believe that our district was a little forward thinking,” he said. “Because, as you can see right now with how society has changed, just about every district is employing school police officers — which no one did back then.”