Highland Park, IL - September 24, 2024 - At its September 24 meeting, the District 113 Board of Education appointed Lane Linder as the new Director of Security. Mr. Linder, a retired police commander and former safety and security director in two school districts, will officially join District 113 in early October.
“We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Lane as our Director of Security,” said Superintendent Dr. Chala Holland. “Lane’s extensive experience working with students in district and high school settings, combined with his expertise in threat assessment, crisis management, and supporting stakeholder learning positions enable him to immediately strengthen our safety and security protocols. With a distinguished law enforcement career, where he served as a commander, school resource officer, led K9 teams, and developed comprehensive crisis intervention strategies, Lane is uniquely equipped to lead District 113’s efforts in ensuring the safety of our entire community.”
Mr. Linder expressed his enthusiasm about joining the district. "I am honored to join District 113 as the Director of Security and look forward to collaborating with the dedicated staff and administration to safeguard our students, faculty, and community," said Linder. "Drawing from my background in law enforcement and school security, I’m committed to advancing District 113's safety protocols and introducing new strategies to address evolving security challenges. My focus is on fostering a secure, welcoming environment where students and staff feel safe and supported."
Currently, Mr. Linder serves as the Director of Operations, Safety, and Security at Lake Forest Community High School District 115, where he has overseen safety operations for the past six years. His role includes developing and maintaining emergency and crisis intervention plans, acting as a liaison with school resource officers, and managing building-level threat assessments.
Before joining District 115, Mr. Linder served as the Director of Safety and Security at Hanover Community School Corporation in Cedar Lake, Indiana. There, he implemented programs to mitigate safety risks, managed emergency responses, and led efforts to restore normal operations after incidents. Prior to his work in school security, Mr. Linder retired from the Village of Park Forest Police Department (PFPD) after 22 years of service, rising to the rank of Police Commander. While at PFPD, he supervised firearms training, led the K9 unit, and served as a tactical liaison to the emergency response team. Earlier in his law enforcement career, Mr. Linder also served as a D.A.R.E. instructor and school resource officer.
Mr. Linder holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Governors State University. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command, a certified Master Trainer in Behavioral Threat Assessment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and is certified in Firefighter I, II, and Arson Investigation from the University of Illinois Fire Science Institute.
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