High school could see full-time police officer

Hightstown Borough Council will apply for a state grant to staff a school resource officer at Hightstown High School.

By: Michael Ross
   HIGHTSTOWN — Borough Council this week agreed to seek money to fund a school district request to staff a full-time police officer at Hightstown High School.
   HHS Principal John Ward presented the East Windsor Regional School District’s desire to hire a school resource officer during the Tuesday Borough Council meeting at Borough Hall.
   Following the presentation, Borough Council agreed to apply for a $100,000 state grant that will fund the staffing. The grant requires a 25 percent local match that would be divided between the borough and the district.
   According to the National Association of School Resource Officers, the primary purpose of a SRO is to protect students, school personnel, educational facilities and school communities from a threat.
   The officer would not "be a strict disciplinarian," Police Chief James M. Eufemia said during the presentation. The chief said more than 550 SROs work in schools throughout the state, 14 of whom work in Mercer County. "This person would serve as someone to build a rapport with the school body and to serve as a mentor."
   "I don’t think that a school resource officer is considered a negative influence to a school," Mr. Ward said. He said the officer would act as a deterrent to protect roughly 1,400 students, 160 employees and 40-plus doors at HHS. "I think it would be a good influence."
   Councilwoman Nancy Walker-Laudenberger said she supports hiring a SRO and suggested staffing a bilingual, English/Spanish speaking officer. "This is a win-win situation for the school and for us."
   Although Borough Council generally agreed upon the merits of the SRO, some council members expressed concern over funding details surrounding the 25 percent local match requirement.
   "I’m very uncomfortable with this here," Councilman Larry Quattrone said, adding that he would like to see further funding details.
   Councilman Walter Sikorski asked Mr. Ward if the district approached East Windsor Township to fund a portion of the match. Mr. Ward was unaware of any such proposition.
   "I think we’re on a slippery slope here," Mr. Sikorski said, adding that he would like to "iron out" the funding details prior to applying for the state grant.
   "It’s our jurisdiction," Mayor Bob Patten said, adding if a SRO is hired, the officer would fall under the jurisdiction of the Hightstown Police Department.
   "I question the funding," Council President David Schneider said. The councilman said he is not necessarily against hiring a SRO but that he would like to know how many incidents police respond to annually at HHS and how much the borough will have to pay for the program.
   Chief Eufemia said police respond to roughly 100 incidents per year at HHS including fire alarms, ambulance alerts, locked keys in cars and other calls. He said a SRO would assist with such occurrences but that SROs, in order to maintain trust with students, would not make arrests. Instead, SROs would defer arrests to local police, Chief Eufemia said.
   If the state grant is received, the chief said, he would like to have a SRO in place for the start of the next school year, in September.
   During a Jan. 10 Board of Education meeting, former HHS Principal Anthony Radano said SROs are in the school every day, wear plainclothes, weapons and handcuffs, are in radio contact with local police and maintain a private office. Mr. Radano said the officers are available to teachers and students and become "almost like a counselor."
   "I just can’t in words express what a positive feeling it is to have an SRO in the building," Mr. Radano said. A SRO is the "perfect marriage" between the school and the community.
   "Many districts have them," Superintendent Ronald Bolandi said during the Board of Education meeting. "We think it’s good business to have a police presence in the building."
   Borough Clerk/Administrator Candace Gallagher said the $100,000 grant application, which is due by Jan. 31, will fund one SRO for 1 to 1½ years. Funding thereafter is negotiable between the borough and the district.
   Borough Attorney Frederick C. Raffetto said council could reject the grant if the parties fail to negotiate how to divide the local match requirement and/or how to fund the position after grant monies are expended.
   Council voted 5-to-1 to apply for the grant. Mr. Sikorski voted against the application.