The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees has voted to name a new elementary school after fallen Reno Police Officer, John Bohach. Bohach was killed in the line of duty in 2001, and the new school is located in Kiley Ranch.
“Officer John Bohach was a champion for children,” said Trustee Malena Raymond. “He dedicated his life to working with the young people of our community, and he cared deeply for their welfare. Naming our new school in his memory is a well-deserved honor for this outstanding officer and his family.”
Bohach served different roles in his 13 years as a sworn officer with the Reno Police Department, including as a detective in the Juvenile Crimes Division. He was one of only a few officers who spoke Spanish fluently, which enabled him to act as a liaison between Spanish-speaking students and families and RPD.
Bohach was shot and killed on August 22, 2001, while he was assisting other officers with setting up a perimeter outside the home of an armed felon who was barricaded inside.
Trustees chose Bohach’s name from a list of three finalists submitted by the School Naming Committee, whose members reviewed names suggested by the community. Finalists Marce Herz and Sessions S. “Buck” Wheeler will be automatically considered among semi-finalists for future schools.
Bohach Elementary School is scheduled to open in August 2020. The school is expected to alleviate overcrowding in the Spanish Springs area.
