Do not banish school resource officers

As a law enforcement veteran and parent of school-age children, I can rest easy knowing they and their classmates can learn in a safe environment.

For this, I credit and thank, our faculty and administration, and local school resource officers, whose job it is to keep our kids safe.

However, such a safe school atmosphere may soon give way to political grandstanding, as those in public office look to create new bureaucracies and red tape for our schools, jeopardizing the safety of Connecticut’s children.

Legislation now in Hartford, bill No. 447 (LCO No. 2533), before the Joint Committee on Education, would create a process to totally eliminate school resource officers from any public school in our state.

You read that right, school resource officers would be banished from our land, regardless of the school district’s wishes or needs of school superintendents or town mayors.

It would leave Connecticut with a one-size-fits-all policy. Cops on school grounds would be illegal and unwanted, thanks to our legislators!

In Stamford, we have an officer at each of our two public high schools. They are there for the protection of the students, teachers, administrators, and the facility. They also help when there are major events, such as large sports events or perhaps a prom.

We must not permit the divisive rhetoric from the last national elections to cause such impulsive lawmaking extremism.

Let us just admit that in Connecticut, the very well organized defund police political lobby scored a decisive legislative victory in 2020.

That said, now we must not let the whiplash of the political ideological divide weaken the protective environment provided for our children, society’s most precious commodity.

I have known countless quality individuals who have served as school resource officers. They are valuable contributors to their school communities. These are not simply officers yanked off the beat, rather they are trained and sensitized to the critical role they play on campuses.

When our children go to school each morning, parents should not have to worry about their safety, nor must students be distracted from learning.

We have all read the sad stories about school violence. As community leaders it’s our duty to protect, rather than further expose, Connecticut’s youth to harm.

What happens when bullies or even gang members no longer see the physical, visible presence of officers? Will it be up to teachers or school social workers to intercede? These employees are not permitted to intervene in physical altercations, and for good reason. That is the job of trained law enforcement professionals, who can handle such situations most safely.

The job of a school resource officer does not end with the school day. In fact, many regularly act as mentors and establish bonds of trust with students in the schools. These are relationships that last a lifetime and proactively connect police with the community, as members rather than outsiders.

For years, members of the Stamford Police Association have dedicated their own time and resources to support families, community youth, athletic and school enrichment programs. These programs have resulted in countless positive outcomes, with tens of thousands of children and teens, who have graduated and moved on toward greater success in life.

Rather than Connecticut leaders throwing shame and blame on the important job of our school resource officers, let’s give credit where credit is due. Dedicated officers across our state should be recognized, not demonized.

Hate, including for law enforcement officers, should have no place in our state, and certainly not in legislation in the name of so-called “police reforms.”

I urge our leaders in Hartford, do not banish police and school resource officers from Connecticut. The young lives this will ultimately impact many not be able to vote yet, but their future should be our shared priority.