The Role of the Resource Officer
ARHS PTSA
2/12/09
Thank you to Officer Todd Gumaer from Precinct 1 in for taking the time to come to Arcadia and present.
History:
New York State began the School Resource Officer (SRO) program years ago. The officer assigned to the school was intended to be employed as a staff person. They attended social, music, and sports events. They were used as a counseling resource and taught classes such as driver’s education and drivers’ rights, law classes, and even worked in English classes to teach report writing. They attended meetings and worked with administration to set up security in the buildings. In Rochester City School District and Livingston county schools the SROs are still used in this way. The program was originally funded with grants. When the grant funding ended, the money came from the school districts and other grant sources. Arcadia’s SRO is in the building from 9 am to 2 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, Athena’s is there on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Olympia has an SRO everyday. Odyssey has no SRO per the principal. There is also an SRO at Apollo.
Greece was one of the first school districts in the county to use the SRO program. As more schools joined the available grant dollars dropped and hence cutbacks began. SROs taught DWI courses for teens. It was a hands-on class that was very motivating for the students. By teaching classes and attending events, the SROs befriended and got to know students which led them to be more comfortable with each other.
Today:
SROs now work at schools on their days off and hence are paid at the overtime rate. The SROs are rotated since they report only on days off so there may be three different SROs per building. Due to the reduction in hours they are more an extension of security and work on traffic control, fights, and investigating criminal matters. They can be called in upon to sit in on parent meetings, investigate residency issues, students’ suspensions, and truancy. Officer Gumaer explained how rumors help to get issues out of control and that students have a hard time expressing themselves. They may use terms such as I am going to kill you or shoot you when that is not what they really mean. The SRO will investigate such threats. He also explained why the SROs act differently in calls in the community than they do in school. In the community they must be aware of all surroundings and possible scenarios and therefore may appear “unapproachable”.
Arcadia’s SROs are Kevin O’Keefe, Dave Robinson, and Kevin Brown.