PETITION TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOL

RESOURCE OFFICER IN BRIARCLIFF

MANOR

To: The Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District Board of Education, District Administration, and the Briarcliff Manor Police Department

We, the undersigned residents, parents, educators, students, and community members of Briarcliff Manor, New York, respectfully request the establishment and continued funding of a dedicated School Resource Officer (SRO) program serving the Briarcliff Manor schools.

Our schools are an essential part of our community, and the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff must remain a shared priority.

A dedicated School Resource Officer can provide an important connection between our schools, families, and the Briarcliff Manor Police Department. An SRO can help support school safety, respond to emergencies, build positive relationships with students and staff, assist school administrators when appropriate, and provide education and outreach concerning safety, law enforcement, and responsible decision-making.

We believe an effective SRO program should be designed with clear responsibilities, appropriate training, strong communication with school leadership, and a student-centered approach. The goal should be to create a safe, welcoming school environment while maintaining appropriate distinctions between education, student support, and law enforcement.

We respectfully ask that Briarcliff Manor:

1. Establish or maintain a dedicated School Resource Officer position assigned to the Briarcliff Manor schools.

2. Provide a consistent SRO presence during the school day and at appropriate school-related activities, based on the needs identified by school and law-enforcement leadership.

3. Develop clear written guidelines defining the SRO's responsibilities, authority, communication procedures, and relationship with school administrators, counselors, teachers, students, and families.

4. Prioritize relationship-building and prevention , including opportunities for students to interact with the SRO in positive, non-enforcement settings.

5. Ensure appropriate training in working with children and adolescents, school environments, crisis response, de-escalation, student privacy, disability-related considerations, and other areas relevant to the school setting.

6. Maintain regular communication with the community regarding the goals and operation of the SRO program while protecting student privacy and confidential information.

7. Review the program periodically with input from school leadership, law enforcement, parents, educators, and community members to ensure that it is meeting the safety and educational needs of Briarcliff Manor.

Our Request

We believe that having a dedicated School Resource Officer can be one component of a comprehensive approach to school safety and student well-being.

“Implementing a School Resource Officer (SRO) program provides a positive and visible law enforcement presence that actively collaborates with the school community. Through a strong partnership between the school district and the police department, officers equipped with specialized training in behavioral threat assessment, de-escalation, crisis intervention, and adolescent mental health can effectively foster a safe, proactive environment essential for teaching and learning. When grounded in a formal, regularly updated security risk assessment to address specific threat levels, I've seen many of our client communities benefit greatly from these types of programs."

- John Bekisz, Jr PSP, PE (Todd School Parent)

John is a professional security consultant serving clients effectively managing their security posture for more than 15 years across verticals such as higher education, K-12, critical infrastructure, municipalities, sports & entertainment, and real estate. Serving as a Director on the North American Board of Directors for ASIS International, the organization that has published the ANSI-approved School Security Standard.

We therefore respectfully ask the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District and the Briarcliff Manor Police Department to work together to establish, support, and adequately fund an SRO program for our schools.

We ask our elected officials, school leaders, and community representatives to listen to the voices of Briarcliff Manor families and take action to strengthen the safety and security of our schools.

SIGN THE PETITION

By signing below, I support the establishment and/or continuation of a dedicated School Resource Officer program serving the Briarcliff Manor schools.

Please return completed petitions to the petition organizer or submit them for presentation to the Briarcliff Manor Board of Education and appropriate Village officials.