TURNERS FALLS — Following years of discussion, a school resource officer may soon be in the budget for the Gill-Montague Regional School District.
School Committee members have already indicated that they would like to see money for a resource officer in the final budget they are voting on next week. They won’t be voting to create a resource officer position, but to include money in the budget.
Superintendent Michael Sullivan mentioned the growing anxiety among parents and students for their safety, “in large part due to the Florida shooting and an increase in school shootings overall.”
He also spoke of recent incidents “where students are of big concern,” including a recent incident where a Turners Falls High School student had stolen handguns, and police found out about it incidentally.
“It could have been off (the police’s) radar pretty easily and could have resulted in a pretty bad situation,” he said. “What I’ve come to believe is that the resource officer can play a really important role in facilitating communication between kids and the police and the school.
“By (the officer) having good relationships with kids, kids will talk to them about things they’re worried about,” he continued.
The majority of the officer’s working time would be spent at the high school and Great Falls Middle School, but Sullivan says the officer would “definitely have a presence” at Hillcrest and Sheffield Elementary schools. At this point, Sullivan is unsure whether the resource officer would have a presence at Gill Elementary.
Sullivan also predicts that a resource officer assigned to the district would probably be an officer already on the Montague force. The officer would likely have an office at the high school and would work full shifts among the different schools.
If the money is put in the budget, the officer could begin working during the next school year.
According to Sullivan, the school committee has indicated that it will approve three-quarters of the salary to come out of the district’s operating budget. Sullivan would also like to explore the possibility of the town funding the other quarter through the police budget.
While the preliminary budget has already been discussed, school officials feel that the resource officer is worth changing the budget. Sullivan believes that additional funding for the officer could come out of the School Choice revolving account. Exactly how much money is at issue is not yet clear.
“We also think we can squeeze more savings out of student transportation by reducing bus routes,” Sullivan added. “We think we can also spend a little less money on technology infrastructure.”
Sullivan says that a resource officer has been discussed for at least the last four years he has been superintendent. He has held conversations about the position with former Police Chief Charles Dodge, who “promoted it significantly.”
In previous years, there has been support from the School Committee and the community for a resource officer, but the budget didn’t allow for it. Sullivan said now seems like an appropriate time to change priorities.
“We’re reducing educators, but at the same time, we’re financing this,” he said. “So that’s really difficult to do.”
Sullivan plans to meet with Turners Falls High School Principal Annie Leonard and acting Police Chief Chris Bonnett to develop a draft memorandum of understanding regarding plans for a resource officer.
Reach Christie Wisniewski at:
cwisniewski@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280