TURNERS FALLS — Maintaining a safe, violence-free school and building a positive relationship between students and police are among the goals outlined for the Gill-Montague Regional School District’s Memorandum of Understanding for hiring a school resource officer.
The new position was approved within the school’s budget at Montague’s annual Town Meeting May 5, and school officials are working with local police to find the right person to take the position this fall.
The committee voted 6-2 this week to authorize school administrators and the Police Department to continue their search for a school resource officer.
Acting Police Chief Chris Bonnett and Principal Annie Leonard reviewed the memorandum with the school committee, welcoming questions and concerns as Superintendent Michael Sullivan explained parts of the document.
Memorandums from Easthampton, Greenfield, Northampton and Franklin County Technical School were among those reviewed.
Bonnett emphasized that the memorandum is not a job description; it’s a document meant to establish the boundaries of the relationship between the police and the school. Sullivan, Leonard and Bonnett worked together to draft the policies and outline the expectations for the position.
“It’s not a disciplinarian,” noted Bonnett. “This is a position that is meant to establish relationships and rapport.”
He added that there are a lot of things the resource officer can do, but are discouraged from doing, such as arresting a student. He cautioned the position is not meant to police students.
“It’s about trying to fix problems before they occur,” he said.
The officer would be an employee of the Police Department and under the direct supervision of the department. The officer may be regarded as a school employee in spirit, and will have access to student records and will attend meetings that the public isn’t invited to.
The chief of police will make the officer’s schedule, which is expected to mirror the school district’s schedule year-round.
The officer will be selected through an internal application process at the Police Department, and the officer chosen will not be a “brand new” officer. There is still an extensive list of trainings to bring the officer up to speed on school resource officer duties.
The district has agreed to pay $50,250 of the annual salary, while the Police Department will be responsible for the remainder of the salary and all employee-related benefits.
The objectives outlined for the officer include:
“Develop and implement a process” for police and school officials to respond to delinquent behavior and refer first-time or early offenders to appropriate programs.
Provide a system of “prompt reporting” of criminal and delinquent behavior.
Establish positive relationships with students and staff, be a positive role model and provide response to school-based needs while protecting civil rights.
Help the schools implement an effective school threat assessment process.
Demonstrate commitment to restorative justice, minimum use of force and non-criminalization of activities “whenever possible.”
Procedures include:
Developing policies for coordinated efforts between the school and police department.
Ensuring that school officials report an act such as serious “assaultive behavior,” destruction of property, theft, violation of a restraining order, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of controlled substance or reasonable belief of possession and “dangerous criminal behavior.”
Training will include a resource officer “basic training” program which trains in areas such as: effective community policing, restorative practices, conflict resolution, bias-free policing, juvenile diversion programs, education discipline regulations, Children Requiring Assistance process and proceedings, child development, dating violence and healthy teen relationships, substance abuse prevention and response, cyber safety, childhood trauma, protecting civil rights and effectively working with student groups including LGBTQ and those with disabilities.
Committee member Mike Langknecht supports the addition of a resource officer in the district, but suggested that perhaps some of the training listed in the memorandum be integrated as necessary skills to be hired.
“The first year is really important,” Langknecht said. “We’re concerned about sustainability here. A successful first year is going to make a big difference.”
Committee member Heather Katsoulis, who disclosed that she voted against the position at the annual town meeting, voiced her concern about letting the officer have access to student records. She suggested that the school implement a “trained professional” in psychology instead of a police officer.
Bonnett replied that resource officers having access to student records is normal, but the access is up to the school administration.
“We have to be on the same page and stay on the same page,” Bonnett said.
Committee member April Reipold voiced concern that there are multiple schools in the district but only one officer, saying the position would basically just serve the middle and high school.
The officer is supposed to have a presence at all four Montague schools and, at times, Gill.
“They will be expected to have a presence at Hillcrest and Sheffield on a random basis, but won’t have offices there,” Sullivan said, adding that there are times when a police officer is needed to respond to incidents at an elementary school.
Committee member Cassie Damkoehler admitted that it is unfortunate that positions have been cut in the district this year, but said it is “an important time for relationship-building” between youth and police officers.
Katsoulis believes the process is moving too fast and is being pushed through too quickly without adequate research.
Reipold voiced concern about the duties of the officer and whether he or she would act as a law enforcement for small problems at the school.
“Is (the memorandum) the total sum of paperwork of what they’re going to do?” she said, asking whether the officer would write up people not parking in the correct spot in the parking lots, or not using the crosswalk.
Bonnett said monitoring small infractions such as the ones Reipold listed would be detrimental to the relationship between the officer and school district.
The officer will also not be allowed to search a student or a locker; only school officials are allowed to do so. Even if a teacher asks the officer to search a student or locker, the officer will refrain.
“They’re not supposed to get in the middle of discipline,” Bonnett said.
The officer would wear what Bonnett referred to as a “subdued uniform:” khakis and a golf shirt. The officer would also carry a firearm openly, to which some committee members voiced opposition.
He or she would be required to be “highly visible” and regularly interact with students, staff and parents of various backgrounds, orientations and ethnicities. The officer will also be required to have knowledge of school-based legal issues, school and community resources and an understanding of child development and psychology.
Reach Christie Wisniewski at:
cwisniewski@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280