Police Staff Changes Occur At Local Schools

By Andrew Gorosko

Due to a staffing shortage, the police department is making some changes in its law enforcement coverage at the public schools, Police Chief Michael Kehoe told Police Commission members this week.

Youth Officer Dana Schubert is on an extended medical leave of absence from the police department, Chief Kehoe said. Officer Schubert has covered law enforcement duties for children in kindergarten through grade 6.

School Resource Officer Gladys Pisani will now be covering the duties formerly handled by Officer Schubert. A key part of those activities includes conducting the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. Each year, all fifth grade students in the public schools and at St Rose School receive DARE training.

Officer Pisani formerly served as school resource officer at Newtown Middle School.

School Resource Officer Domenic Costello will be covering Newtown High School and the middle school, Chief Kehoe told Police Commission members. Formerly, Officer Costello handled only high school duties.

The police chief said he hopes the reassignments are temporary and that the police’s staffing at the schools returns to its former configuration.

Chief Kehoe termed the modified police coverage “a significant change for the school system.”

“We’re doing the best we can with the resources we have,” he said. The police chief said he expects that some people in the schools may believe that the schools are not getting adequate police coverage under the revised staffing plan.

Police Captain Joe Rios stressed the importance of the DARE program and the need for police to continue offering that service in the schools. DARE is intended to teach fifth graders to resist peer group pressure to become involved in hazardous behavior such as using drugs and alcohol.