Board creates task force to evaluate safety needs
Does the Garrison School need armed police protection?
That’s the question to be considered by a task force created by the school board at its Jan. 8 meeting.
“We’re concerned about safety, as all schools across the country are, particularly when it comes to gun violence or violence on school grounds,” said Greg Stowell, the superintendent of the district, which has about 200 students from pre-K through eighth grade.
The task force, consisting of parents, teachers, board members and residents, will consider whether to include funding in next year’s budget for a school resource officer (SRO) or a special patrol officer (SPO).
In Putnam County, SROs are sheriff’s deputies with training to work in schools and teach classes on topics such as personal safety, cyberbullying and drug awareness. SPOs are retired officers who typically focus only on safety. Both are armed.
The annual cost would be about $100,000 for an SRO or $70,000 for an SPO, Stowell said.
Haldane has an SRO. The Beacon district has considered SROs but in 2018 hired a retired city police officer as its first director of security. He oversees unarmed security monitors, with one assigned to each elementary school, four to Rombout Middle School and six to Beacon High School.
Garrison discussed the issue in 2020 and is reconsidering it at the request of the Garrison Teachers’ Association. Lauren Johnson, the co-president, said teachers favored an “extra layer” of security. “My children have SROs in their school,” said Johnson. The officer is “a valued member of their communities. It’s something that would be a value added to our district.”
At the Jan. 8 meeting, Stowell said data about the effect of police officers in schools is mixed. On one hand, he said, “it can foster a great sense of security” and help strengthen relationships with law enforcement. Conversely, a police officer could “create a more punitive environment” with the potential for arrests for minor infractions.
Because Garrison doesn’t have a high school, Stowell said he doubted the district would need the more comprehensive presence of an SRO. He said Garrison is the only district in Putnam County without an SRO or SPO. He also said the district could consider hiring an unarmed security guard.
“It’s always a question of how to best allocate resources,” said Dan Jasnow, the board vice president. “My instinct is always to put as much of our resources as we can into the educational mission.” He added, however, that if an officer is needed to facilitate that mission, “that’s something we have to take very seriously.”
Board member Eric Arnold said there were inexpensive ways to improve safety at the school without bringing in an armed officer, including education about firearms safety and the role of law enforcement, and listening for signs that students might be disturbed enough to commit violence. He pointed out that many school shooters say things to friends or post on social media about their plans.
At Haldane, the SRO plays an important role in promoting safety, said Carl Albano, the district’s interim superintendent who formerly held the same position at Garrison. As an example, he noted that Haldane’s officer, Anthony Tolve, helps with traffic safety, especially with speeding high school drivers. “To have someone doing traffic control, safety training and going into the classrooms in a high school is valuable,” said Albano.
He said the SRO will also provide gun safety training if the school learns a student has access to weapons in a home. He added that the SRO has not led to a more punitive environment because discipline is overseen by principals.
