NORWICH — During the joint committees meeting on Tuesday, December 7, City of Norwich Police Department Chief Rodney Marsh informed council members of the need for a school resource officer (SRO) at the Norwich High and Middle Schools.

"A couple weeks ago the Superintendent of Norwich Schools reached out to me and said he was considering a school resource officer," said Marsh. "He asked if we could maybe do something like a hybrid in the meantime, until he really decides whether he really wants to have it, a full-time school resource officer."

Marsh explained that Superintendent Scott Ryan floated the idea for the schools to have a temporary, part-time officer, or a school safety officer, who would come to the schools for two and a half hours a day, Monday through Friday.

"He brought up an idea of a school safety officer that would be at the school for about two and a half hours a day, Monday through Friday. And I thought maybe that's something that I could make work with our current staffing level," said Marsh. "This officer, if we were able to do it, would be pulled from a shift, it would be certainly on day shift, and those two and a half hours would go to the school every day. And the rest of the time he would be on patrol."

He also explained that the officer would be in uniform, armed, and have a body cam while in the schools. The temporary position would run until the end of the school year in June, at which time the position may be changed to a full-time SRO for the upcoming school year.

"If it may actually morph into an actual full-time school resource officer, that would be something that would be considered next year," Marsh explained. "For now, or whenever this starts, until the end of the school year in June, is two and a half hours a day have an officer in the High School, Middle School, going back and forth between those two schools."

Should the position change to full time for the 2022-2023 school year, Marsh explained current NPD officers would have the chance to apply, and would be interviewed by a panel of school and police officials. He said the officer hired for the SRO position would need to complete required training as well.

Alderwoman Nancy Allaire spoke in favor of the position, and stated that the Community Advisory Board (CAB) also surveyed the community at one time for their opinion on a SRO at the schools.

"I sort of do a little background on the CAB, putting it into the suggestions or recommendations, and my understanding is it was based on a survey of the community that was done. The community felt a need for it as well," she explained. "Personally I think it's long overdue as well."

Alderman Brian Doliver was also supportive of the position, and said it was something he had spoken in favor of in the past.

"I've been asking for this for a very long time. Now what I'm asking is that this body considers just doing something temporarily," he said. "Just a hybrid idea, just until the end of the year. I think it's long overdue, and I think it's needed right now."

Additionally, having a SRO in the schools would help foster a relationship between students and police officers, and make students more comfortable around police.

"I had a fairly lengthy conversation with the Superintendent this afternoon. One of the things he emphasized was trying to establish a relationship between the students and the police force. That they might not otherwise have exposure to the police force. So I think that's important," said Alderman Dave Zieno. "One of the things that he mentioned was that in the past when they had a resource officer, there were times where officers would actually go into the classroom at the request of the teachers and talk a little bit about the police work that they do, some of the laws, and things like that ... that’s also something that would be good to continue to do."

However, an agreement between the city, schools, and police department is still in the works, and specifics about the full-time position have not yet been decided.

"A man much wiser than me once said the devil is in the details, and I don't see nearly enough to even answer my questions. For me, that means I think we have more work to do, which is a good thing," said Alderman Matthew Caldwell. "We can start talking about some of those important questions that will lead to an agreement. And so while I'm far from a yes vote on, you know, send somebody over there now, let's go, I'm not far from, let's get to the table and start looking at how this can come together."

City officials are currently waiting to review a proposed agreement from the school district before making any decisions.

"I think we’re the only school in this area that doesn’t have a school resource officer currently," said Marsh. "If you look at the school violence that’s happening across the country, I think it’s overdue that we have an officer there."