Armed security added to schools
DERBY — With a goal of increasing security, three new, armed security officers began walking the beat at Derby High School, Derby Middle School and Bradley and Irving elementary schools Monday.
Months of planning by the Student Health and Safety Committee, led by Board of Education Secretary Janine Netto, came to fruition Monday when the district rolled out its beefed- up security program.
“We are excited to provide another layer of safety for our entire family in the event of any intrusion in or around our schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Matthew Conway.
The new officers serving in the full- time time roles are John Serra, who’ll patrol DHS and DMS; Frank D’Amore at Irving School; and John D’Antona at Bradley School.
Each officer comes to the district boasting long and successful careers in law enforcement, according to Conway. Each has also completed specialized training offered through the Police Officer Standards Training Council, a division of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, as well as firearm training coordinated through the Derby Police Department, Conway added.
“As we respond to a changing world, the board wanted to fulfill our most basic charge of ensuring that every student, staff and school visitor who walks through our doors does so feeling safe, secure and protected,” said Board of Education Chairman Jim Gildea. “The rollout of our school security office program was the result of a high degree of cooperation between the city, police department and school system and it was a model of how cities and school systems are supposed to work together and not apart from each other”
Derby High sophomore Kaylee Olenoski was glad to see the new security officer in place Monday.
“I feel safer in my environment of learning, knowing that I could now focus more on my education rather than what’s going on in the outside world,” Kaylee said.
Netto was pleased to see the program become a reality.
“Unfortunately in today’s world things like armed security officers inside our schools are a necessity,” said Netto. “I am hopeful the presence of these retired officers will cultivate new relationships between students and security, in turn creating an even safer school environment.”
Netto lauded Conway for his “creative thinking and ability to get the program funded,” as well as Police Chief Gerald Narowski and his officers for working with the committee to hash out the details to get the program up and running.
Conway said the program will cost the district $ 102,000 and is being funded through Derby’s federal e- rate grant money program, in which the district gets reimbursed annually based on students’ in- school Internet usage, and is not an additional expense in the budget.
Conway expressed gratitude to the police department, as well as the tax board, North Branford Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker, his lead security Bob Piascyk, Shelton Superintendent of Schools Chris Clouet and his director of security Ben Trabka for helping launch Derby’s new security program.
Conway said the district is still looking for additional qualified officers to add to the program. Those interested can apply online at https:// bit. ly/ 2RvMvr1.