School Safety, Inside and Out

The Board of Education Tuesday night weighed the possibility of adding a school resource officer, or "SRO," to bolster security at , while raising concerns over proposed construction at 57 Hoyt St., near .

Chief Duane Lovello of the — a special guest at the meeting — told the board that a SRO would be a full-time staff member who would serve as a liaison and confidant to students on issues related to law enforcement, drugs and alcohol.

"The broadest way to think about this is around the word 'resource,' " Matthew Byrnes, assistant superintendent of secondary schools, said during the meeting, held at the public schools' . "What you get are a lot of new resources from the relationships that SRO can develop with faculty and students."

Still in its early stages, the SRO proposal would see the officer work at the high school for a few years before transitioning back to the force and working the community, officials say. An officer working closely with students could prove a valuable asset in a high school that claims the state's largest percentage of students under 18-years-old in the state—roughly 30 percent of its population — according to the Hartford Courant.

"The SRO can become a part of their lives," Byrnes said. "It's better than having their first interaction with them be if they get into trouble because of driving or partying."

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The possibility of new construction near Holmes Elementary School raised concerns among board members. Superintendent Stephen Falcone sought comment from the board regarding an elderly housing development proposed for Hoyt Street. The construction would widen the road by creating a third passing lane and shrink the sidewalk substantially. Falcone said that while senior residents often serve as volunteers in the school community, the construction and increased traffic poses safety concerns for the 100 or more students that walk to Holmes.

"The safety issues you've outlined have jumped off the page for me," board Chair Kimberly Westcott said of Falcone's comments.

Others weighed in.

Board member Morgan Whittier described heavy traffic in the area both in the morning and after school, while Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross said that children walk the street frequently and the school is used year-round for activities.

The final community hearing on the construction will be held Jan. 18.