(Sheriff Sheron and Undersheriff Walker speak to parents and faculty about the importance of a School Resource Officer during a Public Hearing on the School Budget last week in Alexander.)
On May 15th, School Districts across Genesee County will go to the polls and vote on their School District’s proposed budget for next year.
In three districts, Alexander, Pembroke and Pavilion, a School Resource Officer is being included in the budget.
Sheriff Bill Sheron and Undersheriff Greg Walker have been talking to area School Districts about adding a School Resource Officer since last spring, and after the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida the conversation has been ramped up with districts and the County as how to make a School Resource Officer a reality in Genesee County schools.
Currently, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office has School Resource Officers at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership’s (BOCES) Batavia Campus (for the past 15 years) and in the Byron-Bergen Central School District (for the past three years). Additionally, the Village of LeRoy Police Department provides a School Resource Officer to the LeRoy School District, and the Batavia City School District has Security Aides within its facilities.
According to Sheriff Sheron, the cost for a 10 month appointment of a School Resource Officer is $82,000 a year. For a 12 month appointment the cost is $112,000. The County would pick up the cost of the salary for the 2 month period in the 12 month appointment.
There was talk at the State level of possible funding for Resource Officers in the State Budget, but that did not happen.
“In today’s day and age, God forbid something was to happen here and we had a chance to put an officer in a school and we didn’t because of money, that doesn’t set well with me,” says Sheron.
“Our closest patrol is 10-15 minutes away and that is a lot of casualties, I don’t want that to happen. Our kids are too valuable, they are innocent, they have no protection. If somebody goes into a school we will take care of them.”
If the districts in Alexander, Pembroke and Pavilion pass their budgets that include a School Resource Officer, Sheriff Sheron will then approach the Public Service Committee to add three more Deputy Sheriff’s positions. It will then move on to the Legislature for approval.
Alexander Superintendent Dr. Catherine Huber says the conversation about adding a School Resource Officer started last spring.
“School safety is a top priority and we are committed to developing a fiscally responsible budget,” says Huber.
“We are grateful for the partnership we have with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, they are always there to help. We are looking forward to having a School Resource Officer each day to have a safe environment.”
Recently the Alexander School District has come under fire after safety concerns were brought up by parents at last months school board meeting as far as threats being made towards the school.
Huber did not comment on the recent incident reported on April 26 which involved a threat made towards the school and referred to a Statement that was released at the end of April.
Sheriff Sheron says the incident is still under investigation and cannot release any information at this time.
Here is part of the response from Huber’s Statement:
{Recently, District administrators and our Board of Education have heard from parents regarding their concerns about the District’s commitment to student safety and well-being as well as how the District is applying the Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct provides a framework for our disciplinary processes when student conduct does not meet the expectations outlined in the Code. It is important to keep in mind that the details of any situation that may result in disciplinary consequences are complex, specific, and confidential. The District is not free to share the details related to specific student discipline or consequences – especially with parents and community members who are not the parent of the child involved. In fact, the District is legally bound to keep all of these matters confidential. We take that obligation seriously. Be assured, however, the fact that the District cannot provide the community with details relating to specific disciplinary consequences does not mean that the District is not taking action nor does it mean the District is not upholding the Code of Conduct. We work diligently to investigate all situations in which a student’s conduct is alleged to violate the Code and impose consequences consistent with our findings.}
The rest of the statement can be found here.
https://www.alexandercsd.org/apps/spotlightmessages/3456
Huber says the Alexander School District updates their Code of Conduct each year and the new School Resource Officer, once on board, will be part of the Safety Committee.
This past year the district has implemented a photo ID System to enter schools and a single point of entry model along with regular drills mandated by NYS.
Sheriff Sheron says he is thrilled that three districts are including the School Resource Officer in their budget vote on May 15th.
However, he says he was disappointed the Elba and Oakfield School Districts have decided to not put the position in next year’s budget.
Keith Palmer, Elba Schools Superintendent, says its an ongoing discussion in his district.
“Its always an option and an ongoing discussion, a better use of funding is for student health services,” says Palmer.
“The conversation is a matter of when, not a one size fits all for our school district.”
With 400 students in K-12, the Elba School District is looking for the biggest bang for their buck and adding a full time School Resource Officer would have a large impact on their 9 million dollar budget this year. Palmer wondered if there was a part time option offered.
Palmer also stressed that the State Police Barracks are 3.5 miles down the road and a lot of other schools do not have that.
“We have a good relationship with the Sheriff’s Office and we do have an increased presence.”
In the Oakfield Alabama School District, Superintendent Mark Alexander says even though the School Resource Officer position is not built in to their budget this year, does not mean the position won’t be added next year.
Alexander says the Oakfield Alabama School District is still researching the benefit of having a School Resource Officer and they are at the reviewing considering stage.
“We could transfer money from another area of the budget to help pay for it and we don’t have to wait until next year,” says Alexander.
The Oakfield Alabama School District has about 830 students.
Alexander says having a School Resource Officer is great option even though its a small district.
The District will meet again in the next month or two to make a decision on having a School Resource Officer.