Governor Paterson proposes to cut School Resource Officer Program:
Funding for New York State Troopers as SRO's in schools is in jeopardy for the 2010-2011 school year.  Governor Paterson is proposing to eliminate SRO's.  This will eliminate C-A's SRO, Trooper Boehm, who currently is the SRO for Coxsackie-Athens and Cairo-Durham CSD.

Let Governor Paterson and your local representatives know that eliminating the SRO program is a loss for any school district.  Letters and emails can be sent below:

Governor David A. Paterson                     Senator James L. Seward       
State Capitol                                              LOB 711B                                  
Albany, NY 12224                                      Albany, NY 12247                      

Phone:                                                      Phone:
518-474-8390                                             518-455-3131                              

Email Governor Paterson                            Email Senator Seward        
        
                                       
Assemblyman Tim Gordon                        Assemblyman Peter D. Lopez
LOB 529                                                     LOB 429
Albany, NY 12248                                       Albany, NY 12248

Phone:                                                      Phone:
518-455-5777                                             518-455-5363

Email Assemblyman Gordon                      Email Assemblyman Lopez

What is a School Resource Officer?

The School Resource Officer (SRO) program is the next step in Community Oriented Policing (COP). The SRO is an asset used by the community and the school in an attempt to address situations in the lives of students in a forum other than the judicial system.

The School Resource Officer program (SRO) is a nationally accepted program involving the placement of a law enforcement officer within the educational environment. A Trooper, while in school, is involved in a variety of functions aimed at prevention. The SRO is a high profile law enforcement officer, as well as a resource for students, parents, community, teachers and administration, regarding law issues. Another duty for the SRO is being a link to other service agencies, which provide preventive and counseling services within the school district. Working hand in hand with the building principals, the SRO assists with finding solutions to problems affecting school age children.

The SRO program is a proactive approach to deal with the pressures today's youth face. This includes the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco, along with peer pressure, gang activity and sex. These situations are not only in our schools, but our community as well. The approach of addressing these issues only in the school, or only in the community, has not been completely effective.