Pull into the school bus lane at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School at 8 a.m. on any weekday, and you’ll find a Westchester County School Resource Officer (SRO) stationed at the front door. These officers are there before the school buses arrive, preparing to greet the students by name as they step off with a smile, a high-five or a wave.
They visit the classrooms, not simply to check in, but to fully immerse themselves in the school community – including sitting down and reading stories about the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. Yes, the SROs keep an eye on the kids in the lunchroom and at recess, becoming a familiar face during some of the most ordinary moments of the school day.
But if you ask any Lakeland student about their SRO, they’re likely to tell you a story about a Westchester County police officer who knows their name, their favorite sport or what they want to be when they grow up.
Those every day interactions matter. School safety is not a talking point; it’s a partnership.
That’s what makes the School Resource Officer program in the Lakeland Central School District so meaningful. For nearly eight years, Westchester County police officers have been a familiar and trusted presence in Lakeland’s schools. With the county’s agreement to continue providing three School Resource Officers through the 2030-2031 school year, we are making a long-term commitment to a partnership that is about far more than just security.
These SROs have more authority, and are specially trained to provide a greater level of emergency response and prevention, should a true emergency or threat ever occur. But true school safety is about so much more than preparing for the worst. It’s about creating an environment where children feel safe, supported and known every single day.
When a child sees a police officer only as someone who arrives when something is wrong, that relationship can feel distant. But when that officer truly knows them, asks how their day is going, and takes the time to connect with them, that relationship changes.
The SRO becomes someone they recognize. Someone they trust. Someone they know will be there for them if they ever need help. That is the kind of connection we want to foster between law enforcement and our school communities. The county and the Lakeland School District have come together to make sure students have a safe and welcoming environment, recognizing that safety is strongest when it is built on relationships and trust.
As County Executive, I am proud that Westchester County can play a critical role in that effort. And, I am especially proud of the officers who show up every day not simply as security guards, but as mentors, role models and true members of the Lakeland community.
Our children deserve to learn in places where they feel safe. But, they also deserve to feel seen and valued.
In Lakeland, our SROs are making that happen – one greeting, one classroom visit, and one high-five at a time.
Ken Jenkins is the Westchester County Executive.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here