Easthampton nixes police officer in schools

Daily Hampshire Gazette: The city will redirect its school resource officer positions to focus on community-based policing, according to Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle. The officers will still work with juveniles, but will not be based in the district’s schools.

“The biggest thing I think people will notice is there’s not a police officer assigned within our schools who might be walking the halls or talking to students in the cafeteria or during recess,” LaChapelle said.

The district previously had one school resource officer, and last year received a federal grant to hire a second person for the position. The city will reallocate this funding into community policing, according to LaChapelle.

“Nobody is losing their jobs, and the school department is not losing money,” she said.

As part of the updated community policing role, the officers will work closely with programs such as the city’s Healthy Youth Coalition and Hampshire HOPE. Students also may be referred to one of these two officers in the event that a youth liaison is not available at the school.