The funding decision, approved 4-0, with TC Member India Larrier absent, is just the first step toward having an officer assigned full time to CHS.
Mayor Vic Deluca said the Board of Education and South Orange Board of Trustees would need to fund the other two-thirds of the cost before anything could be done. He said the additional officer will be part of a discussion at a community forum on school safety set for 7 p.m. on May 16th.
"One thing that might come of this is the re-institution of a school resource officer at the high school," Deluca said at last Tuesday's TC meeting. "We want to talk to the community to get an idea if they think this is a good idea."
He said the tentative plan would be for the officer to start in September and be a Maplewood officer with years of experience who would do more than just patrol the high school.
"We would move a seasoned officer to the high school," Deluca said. "We'd want to backfill that officer on the street."
Deluca described it as "someone who is on site, works with students, works with faculty, runs classes and is there to work one-on-one with individuals, works with groups, tries to gain intelligence, someone who has a relationship with students and faculty in case there is a problem."
He said such a position had existed at the high school until 2009 when it was cut due to budget constraints.
"The relationship is a key component here," TC Member Marlon Brownlee said. "It is not just having a cop in the school. The clarity of that role will be part of that community forum."
Asked to comment on the proposal, School District Spokeswoman Suzanne Turner said via email:
The school district and two towns have been discussing the
possibility of reinstating the position of a School Resource
Officer (SRO) at CHS for the past year. We are planning to
hold a community forum in conjunction with the two towns
in May to discuss school safety and culture, including the
possibility of an SRO. After that, a final decision will be
made on whether or not to add the position.
South Orange Village President Sheen Collum did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
