MONTAGUE — In the wake of the deadliest shooting in American history, the Gill-Montague School Committee is discussing hiring a police officer to patrol district schools.
Police Chief Charles “Chip” Dodge presented the idea to the school committee Tuesday, asking them to support the department in applying for a grant to cover 75 percent of the cost for the first three years.
The committee voted to support the grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The committee promised that if the money is awarded, the district would find a way to cover the remainder of the cost, $9,375.
While his proposal has been in the works for a while now, Dodge told the committee, “We can see in the news that we are getting a violent society nowadays and one of the precious things is our children.” He said the district is one of the few in the area that doesn’t have a school resource officer, who would act as not just a law enforcer, but an informal counselor and educator.
“There are so many success stories just from what I know in our local community,” Dodge said. He told the committee that Franklin County Technical School has benefited from a school resource officer for at least the last two years.
The officer would protect the students in emergencies, make the students feel safe in their environment, and be a deterrent for students who might engage in illegal activity at school. If the grant is awarded, the officer could start as early as this fall.
“Our hope is that the presence of a school resource officer would foster a safe and healthy learning environment,” Dodge said.
Massachusetts mandates all school districts in the state to employ at least one school resource officer for the 2016-2017 school year and beyond, but because the policy is unfunded, it is not being strictly enforced, said Dodge. He is now working on the grant application, which is due at the end of this month.
While the district largely supported the idea, some of the committee members raised concerns about finances.
“If you look at our budget, it’s bare bones as it is,” said Sandy Brown, school board member. “I would hate to see anything cut. Sure, a school resource officer would be great if you have the money.”
The officer would cost the district about $9,375 per year. In the fourth year, the district grant would run dry, leaving the committee on the search for ways to fund the position.
Other members of the committee stood behind the idea.
“I fully support it and I think it takes precedence over some other things that are happening in the district because it is a safety issue,” said Lesley Cogswell, school board member.
If the grant doesn’t go through, then the committee would be under no obligation to hire an officer.
Dodge said that it is important to at least get a conversation started and express his opinion publicly about the district’s needs for a school resource officer.
If residents favor hiring a school resource officer, Dodge said, they should find a way to communicate with the Board of Selectmen, and the Gill-Montague School Committee, and the Montague Police Department. “If the public and community feels strongly about something, they should let me know.”
You can reach Lisa Spear at lspear@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280