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Communities chip in for school resource officer
(by Sali McSherry - August 11, 2010)
Communities chip in for school resource officer
By SALI McSHERRY
Orange School District school resource officer Todd Bennett is expected to be at work when school starts. His salary is expected to be paid for by the district and the communities that the school district serves, according to school officials.
Mr. Bennett, a Pepper Pike police officer, was paid for the last six years by that city to serve as the school resource officer.
Pepper Pike Mayor Bruce H. Akers said the city made a decision years ago that it would bear the cost, because Mr. Bennett performs an invaluable service to the students and families. But when the city began facing a financial crisis, the mayor asked the other communities that comprise the district, Woodmere, Moreland Hills, Orange and Hunting Valley, to help with salary.
This summer, Orange schools offered to pay one-third of Mr. Bennett's salary for 182 days, which totals $47,320. The municipalities have been asked to pay the remainder based on student enrollment from each community. His annual salary is $67,309 plus benefits and pension.
Mayors of the communities met and discussed the proposal recently. Moreland Hills Mayor Susan C. Renda and Orange Mayor Kathy U. Mulcahy said Monday their villages were planning to help pay for the officer's salary. The Moreland Hills and Orange village councils were to vote on the measure Wednesday night (Aug. 11). Both mayors agreed that the cost should be divided proportionately based on the number of students from each community attending the district.
Hunting Valley Mayor John D. Wheeler said earlier that his village would help pay the cost of the school resource officer.
Woodmere Mayor Charles E. Smith Jr. said Tuesday that, while he believes having the officer at the schools is important, his village is dealing with its own financial difficulties. He said he wasn't sure if money would be available for that purpose, but hopes the village would be able to participate.
Orange School Superintendent Nancy Wingenbach said in a letter to the mayors and councils that Mr. Bennett has developed a positive connection with the students of the district "with a focus on prevention initiatives and proactive intervention." He meets regularly with students. He has taught in the classrooms and the middle and high schools, been involved in PTA forums, run community safety programs and is actively involved with safety and security committees on the school campus.
He has been involved in joint investigations with neighboring communities, one over a bomb threat made on the school, one about a weapon on school grounds and another over fights between groups of girls, among other incidents, she said. Mr. Bennett also has the ability to sometimes fill in missing information or change the direction of an investigation through his knowledge of the students involved and student relationships at the district.
A resource to teachers, parents and students for addressing concerns, Mr. Bennett also is a resource for instruction in the areas of law-related education, violence diffusion, safety programming, bully prevention, suicide prevention and alcohol and drug prevention.
Mr. Bennett runs the juvenile diversion program for Pepper Pike, the Orange Early Childhood Safety Town and is integral in the campus safety and incident command teams, Dr. Wingenbach said.
Mr. Bennett had said, on an average, he speaks to 10 to 15 students per day about what is going on in their lives.
He said, "I make it a point to say hello to all students that I see in a day. This lets them know I see them and that they matter to me. It also gives them an opening if they want to talk."
He said he talks to kids about anything, from "I got a traffic ticket" to other topics "such as domestic violence, dating violence, underage drinking, curfew and unruly or behavior issues between students and parents."
"Officer Todd's knowledge and expertise has been a tremendous asset for the Orange City School District. He serves as a positive role model and influence for all students. We appreciate the service he's provided our district over the last six years," Dr. Wingenbach said.
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