I am preparing my 2007 budget. One of the initiatives that the town started a few years back was the School police resource officer. The town has partnered with the Central 7 School district and assigns a school resource officer to the WoodlandsMiddle Schooland High School. The town absorbs 50% of the costs of the resource officer—the other half is paid for by the school district. Other school districts within Greenburgh  that are interested in having a school resource officer assigned to schools in their district should contact Supervisor Feiner at pfeiner@greenburghny.com before the end of October –when the budget is submitted to the Town Board.

The School Resource Officer is a nationally recognized program. The program enables communities like ours to bring the principles and philosophy of community policing directly to the school setting. The officer is considered by the US Dept of Justice as a law enforcement officer, counselor, teacher and liaison between law enforcement and the community. School resource officers teach kids about penal law. They assist the Department’s Juvenile Aid Unit. They participate in school programs. They provide a perspective of the police that kids can relate to. The officer makes kids, parents and teachers feel safer at school.

I would welcome the opportunity to expand the program to any school district in Greenburgh that would like to participate in the initiative.

PAUL FEINER
GreenburghTownSupervisor