Police Presence Increasing in Hasbrouck Heights Schools

When school reopens this fall a Hasbrouck Heights police officer will be stationed at the middle school/high school building serving full-time as a School Resource Officer, something which a group of parents have been lobbying for since the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn. last December.

Hasbrouck Heights Board of Education gave the okay to the shared service agreement with the borough Tuesday for the SRO at an amount not to exceed $68,313 for the 2013-2014 school year, said Dina Messery, business administrator.

In addition the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department is dedicating a juvenile officer who will spend time at the public elementary schools -  Euclid and Lincoln - and Corpus Christi School, a private K-8 school, said Police Chief Michael Colaneri.

Colaneri says Officer Brian Donahue, who will serve as the SRO, will also work with the students teaching classes on drunk driving, gang awareness and will be involved with other programs for the students.

"A lot of it is a work in progress and we'll learn more as we go further down the line," said the Chief. They also intend to consult other departments who employ SROs to gain additional input, he added.

Sergeant Alan Baker who will serve as the juvenile officer will also run the DARE program for the elementary school students. There is hope to expand the program more in the coming year as a result, says the chief.

Donohue and Baker have already completed SRO training, says Colaneri.

The police department will also continue to have officers stop in school buildings regularly as part of their patrol, he says.

The district also announced last month it would bring in a computerized check-in system which will scan IDs and create a photo ID for visitors making it easier for school personnel to track who is in the building. The system will be tested over the summer with the Keys program and it's intended to be used by all schools in the fall.