Each year since 2010, a new agreement is negotiated and finalized between the Village of Marcellus and the Marcellus Central School District, whereby three (3) officers of the Marcellus Police Department are assigned to serve as School Resource Officers in the School District. The SRO assignment is a daytime assignment, Monday through Friday, eight (8) hours per day, per officer, one officer in each of the three buildings on the Marcellus Central School campus – KCH Elementary School, Driver Middle School, and Marcellus High School. This is a rather unique program, developed and initiated by former Police Chief Robert Wicks, and has continued and expanded by the current Police Chief Bernie Podsiedlik, to include SRO Officers in three (3) additional school districts, Tully CSD, Onondaga CSD, and Lyncourt Union Free SD. It is one that has proven to be most successful, a model that has been emulated by several other municipalities and school districts in Onondaga County.
SRO Program Objectives
Specific Duties of School Resource Officers (SROs)
In addition to any other duties set forth in the Agreement, each SRO assigned to the School District shall provide services that meet the program objectives, including, but not necessarily limited to the following:
*The SRO does not enforce school rules. Matters of school discipline shall be referred to the appropriate building principal.
More specific details of the program are provided in the agreement, and this is available in the Village Office for public inspection. It is a tribute to the Marcellus Central School District Board of Education for its willingness to fund such a program, one that surely provides excellent security for the students and staff on the Marcellus Central School campus.
SRO Program Objectives
- Provide a police presence in the School District in order to promote and provide an atmosphere of enhanced school safety for faculty, staff, students, and school visitors
- Provide a Law Enforcement resource to students, teachers, school administrators and parents, so as to:
- increase student awareness about crime prevention, internet safety, conflict resolution, violence prevention, restorative justice, and peer mediation
- increase school and faculty and staff awareness about policies and procedures for preventing/responding to incidents of violence and other threats to school safety.
- Facilitate crime prevention, Law Enforcement, and security consultation;
- Build lines of communication and promote positive attitudes between students and the Marcellus Police Department;
- Provide a confidential counseling resource to students who may be experiencing a variety of school, family, or social problems
- Pro-actively address problems and pressures as they relate to students before such problems manifest into socially and legally unacceptable behavior. These problems may involve the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. They may also involve peer pressure, gang activity, and sexual activity.
- Provide a positive role model to the students
- Provide education in Law Enforcement, as requested and appropriate.
Specific Duties of School Resource Officers (SROs)
In addition to any other duties set forth in the Agreement, each SRO assigned to the School District shall provide services that meet the program objectives, including, but not necessarily limited to the following:
- Patrol and observe all areas of the school building(s) and grounds
- Be visible and available to the students, faculty, and administration
- Keep the peace and help maintain a sage and orderly school community
- Develop and maintain a positive and open relationship with students, faculty, and parents
- Present educational programs to students in conflict resolution, restorative justice, crime awareness and anger management
- Present educational programs to school employees, parents, and school board members
- Build relationships by being a liaison between the Marcellus Police Department and the School District
- Survey the needs of schools and address crime and disorder problems, gangs and drug activities affecting or occurring in or around the School District's schools
- Assist schools with security concerns and identify physical changes in the environment that may reduce crime in or around the school
- Develop or expand crime prevention efforts for students
- Educate potential school-age victims in crime prevention and safety
- Develop or expand community justice initiatives for students
- Assist in developing school policy that addresses crime recommend procedural change where appropriate
- Assist schools in meeting requirements mandated by New York State Law
- Take appropriate law enforcement action with regard to any criminal activated that he/she observes or that are reported directly to him/her
- Investigate other emergency situations and summon aid and assistance as needed (e.g., fire department, ambulance, etc.)
- Attend after school activities that are open to all students such as sports games, dances, etc., if requested by the School Principal or Superintendent. This applies only to activities held on the assigned campus
- Maintain contact with the Justice Center Intelligence Group for gang related information
*The SRO does not enforce school rules. Matters of school discipline shall be referred to the appropriate building principal.
More specific details of the program are provided in the agreement, and this is available in the Village Office for public inspection. It is a tribute to the Marcellus Central School District Board of Education for its willingness to fund such a program, one that surely provides excellent security for the students and staff on the Marcellus Central School campus.
