Springfield board backs hiring resource officer
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: October 7, 2009
SPRINGFIELD — After hearing comments from a divided crowd, a divided School Board took one more step toward hiring a police officer to patrol the halls of the middle and high school.
By a three-to-one vote, with Chairman Larry Kraft abstaining, the Springfield School Board voted Monday night to enter into negotiations with the town to hire a school resource officer. Marilyn Thompson cast the lone dissenting vote, while Scott Adnams, Sam Coleman and Jeanice Garfield voted in the affirmative.
"It's come from students, it's come from staff and it's come from administration that part of our problem is the use of alcohol and drugs in our schools," said Garfield, one of many who argued the pros and cons of the proposal for nearly an hour.
The police officer would be hired by the town through the Springfield Police Department and for the first three years the officer's salary and benefits would be funded by a federal grant through the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, which comes with the condition the position remain funded a fourth year.
The school district would pay 75 percent of all additional expenses and the town will pay 25 percent, which includes $4,520 a year for uniform, gun and other equipment, and the total estimated cost of $84,409 for the fourth year the SRO will be on the job.
"While I support the idea of an SRO, there's not a lot of support for the budget as is," said Springfield High School English teacher Jennifer Dodge.
"Since the town budget always passes anyway, why can't it go in the town budget?" asked Park Street School second-grade teacher Alison Sylvester.
Springfield High School Co-Principal Bob Thibault said he resisted a similar proposal years ago when he was a teacher at Leland and Gray Union High School
"Since then, I've had a lot of experiences that changed my opinion. I do believe the presence of an SRO would only benefit the school," said Thibault, who noted the SRO would build relationships with the student, be an extra set of eyes in the hallways and would already be on site in the event of an emergency.
"I don't know in a community that struggles with a budget that it's ever a good time," said High School Co-Principal Larry Wight. "You take a hit during year four, but you have three years to prepare for it, and my guess is, after four years, you won't want to get rid of it."
Garfield said a student and a teacher would be involved in the decision of who to hire. Police Chief Douglas Johnston said he would likely allow school officials to interview candidates and decide who would best fill the job.
The hiring of an SRO is still subject to negotiations between the Select Board and the School Board.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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