SOMERSET – Chief George McNeil and the Somerset Police Department wish to express its gratitude to the Somerset Teachers’ Association for its recent statement advocating for the continued use of School Resource Officers in Somerset Schools.
The Somerset Teachers’ Association’s statement, which was released on Friday, July 31, read in part:
“The Somerset Teachers’ Association strongly supports having School Resource Officers in our school buildings. The Somerset Teachers’ Association’s position is that School Resource Officers are invaluable to our school communities, and as a result, advocate that we keep our School Resource Officers in our school buildings.”
The Somerset Police Department includes two School Resource Officers, one for Somerset Berkley Regional High School and one for K-8 schools. Among their many duties are to help maintain a safe and secure school environment; assist faculty and administrators in developing school safety plans that involve evacuations, lockdowns, and more; work with administrators to train students and staff on how to safely respond in the event of an emergency; and promote a positive perception of law enforcement for Somerset students.
In its statement, the Somerset Teachers’ Association also supported School Resource Officers in their role in promoting the social-emotional learning of students by helping to build a better school community.
“We thank the Somerset Teachers’ Association for its statement supporting the continued use of School Resource Officers,” Chief McNeil said. “Our SROs do such positive work in their day-to-day interactions with staff and students, and are invaluable in the role of being present in a school should an emergency situation ever arise.”
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