District 113 selects new security director one year after installing the position

Lane Linder, a retired police commander, will be the new director of security for Township High School District 113. He will officially assume the position serving Highland Park and Deerfield high schools in early October.

Linder’s appointment was approved by the District 113 Board of Education at its Sept. 24 meeting. He will take over for the district’s first director of security, Amy Oliva, who was hired in the summer of 2023.

District 113 Chief Communications Officer Karen Warner said, as policy, the district does not comment on personnel issues. Oliva’s contract expired on June 30.

Linder was most recently the director of operations, safety and security for Lake Forest Community High School District 115 for six years. He also worked with a school district in Cedar Lake, Indiana, after a 22-year career with the Park Forest Police Department in the southwest suburbs. With law enforcement, Linder has supervised firearms training, led a K9 unit and served as a school resource officer, among other assignments.

For D113, Linder will be responsible for “developing and maintaining emergency and crisis intervention plans, acting as a liaison with school resource officers, and managing building-level threat assessments,” according to a release from 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,” Linder said in the release. “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.”

Adding a security director is one of several safety enhancements District 113 has made since the Highland Park parade shooting in 2022.

Most recently, the district contracted a K9 detection team that can identify firearms and explosives in the school buildings.

Additionally, a gun brought to Highland Park High School in April 2023 sparked public outcry and board action to approve security improvements districtwide prior to the 2023-’24 school year. Those improvements included the addition of weapons detectors, card readers at entrances, security film on exterior glass, improved security cameras and the director of security position.

“We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Lane as our Director of Security,” D113 Superintendent Dr. Chala Holland said in a statement. “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. … Lane is uniquely equipped to lead District 113’s efforts in ensuring the safety of our entire community.”​

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