Frank DeMatto’s title at Carbon Career and Technical Institute is changing by one word.

In his second year as CCTI’s school resource officer, DeMatto will now transition to “school police officer” after Carbon County President Judge Roger Nanovic signed off on it Friday morning.

Nanovic heard brief testimony from DeMatto and CCTI Administrative Director Dave Reinbold, who said though the school doesn’t have a lot of security issues, having DeMatto in the role will be a benefit.

“It helps take the burden off the Jim Thorpe Police Department and it just strengthens our security profile in general,” Reinbold said.

Retired from the state police, DeMatto also has 18 months experience as a school police officer for Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21.

Though DeMatto now has all the powers of a municipal police officer, he sees a very defined role for himself at CCTI.

“I have arresting powers, but I don’t see this as all about enforcement when it comes to students,” DeMatto. “I think it’s more about being a deterrent to threats from the outside world.”

Since he’s been at CCTI, DeMatto has developed a positive rapport with students. All of the feedback on his becoming the school police officer, he told Nanovic on Friday, has been positive.

“I think any officer in any school wants the students to know they can come to them and trust them,” he said. “We’re approachable at any time.”

Reinbold said Jim Thorpe Police Chief Joe Schatz signed off on the move and were very supportive of DeMatto’s new role.

Friday’s court approval came with authorization for DeMatto to be armed while he is working for the school, but whether or not that will happen is undecided.

“We now have the ability for that to happen, but it hasn’t been discussed in detail with the CCTI joint operating committee as of yet,” Reinbold said.

Reinbold also said the move will have no negative impact on CCTI’s liability insurance.