CLIFTON PARK – While Saratoga Springs City School District debates whether to add a school resource officer to Dorothy Nolan Elementary, the Shenendehowa Central School District Board of Education has officially signed a contract with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department for a third officer.
While the board voted Tuesday evening to approve the contract, the officer has already been working in the district since September.
The contract hires the officer for almost $75,500 for a one-year term.
Board of Education President Naomi Hoffman declined to comment after the meeting regarding school resource officers, instead directing The Daily Gazette toward school district spokesperson Lindsay Valenti.
She said the third officer was included as part of the budget process for the 2022-23 school year.
“A keen focus on enhancing or expanding security is a consistent area of focus and priority for the district,” Valenti said in an emailed response. “The Superintendent, through collaboration with the SAVE Committee, saw the need to increase the presence of an SRO at school facilities as a key priority. Consequently, the district engaged with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, which was also advocating for expanded coverage.”
Sheriff Michael Zurlo said he has 13 officers from his department that are school resource officers. Valenti said all of the officers “complete a comprehensive training program, specific to their roles in schools.”
Zurlo said beyond the standard training the officers get as deputies they must also complete a five-day school resource training that is done through the New York State Sheriffs’ Association Committee on Policing and Safeguarding Schools. The training includes various courses such as looking at past active shooter situations.
Zurlo also said the school resource officers participate in active shooter drills.
“It’s an amazing program,” he said, noting it gives many parents peace of mind knowing there is a trained officer in the school.
Zurlo said he wished every district could afford an officer in every school building.
Citing security protocols, Valenti declined to comment on the schedule of the officers.
The additional officer at Shen comes as many school districts have either added more school resource officers or discussed the possibility of having more of them in their district this year. Saratoga Springs City School District officials have heard from residents and parents in the district over several weeks regarding the town of Wilton offering to pay for an officer at Dorothy Nolan Elementary and Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner James Montaginino indicating the city could look at helping provide more officers as well. The district currently has an officer at the high school and middle school.
Schenectady County’s largest district – the Schenectady City School District – is looking at adding a total of six officers, which they refer to as community engagement officers.
“The contract to add additional officers [for a total of six] was approved last year but we still have three at this time,” said Karen Corona, the district’s spokesperson, in an email. “The goal is to have six at the start of the next school year 2023-2024 which will include two in high school, one in each middle school and one supervisor/floater.”
Even smaller districts like Duanesburg Central School District are adding additional officers.
In Fulton County the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District brought in two school resource officers who are employed by the Futon County Sheriff’s Office. The district will pay $215,000 a year for the officers, which will cover salary, training and equipment, including a squad car, Superintendent Stephen Tomlinson had said.
Other districts in the area like Gloversville Central School District have school resource officers through their local police departments.
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