City of S
aratoga Springs
Communications Department
Contact: Email – Alan.Fanitzi@Saratoga-Springs.org
Phone – (518) 587-3550 ext. 2524
____________________________________________________________
City Hall
Temporary Location:
15 Vanderbilt Avenue
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
Date: September 5, 2019
City Council approves a two-year contract with the City of Saratoga Springs School District for continuous SRO
During a special City Council meeting held on Tuesday, August 27, the City Council unanimously approved the signing of a two-year contract with the City of Saratoga Springs School district to ensure continuous School Resource Officer (“SRO”) coverage throughout the school year.
Since 2000 the Saratoga Springs School District and the City of Saratoga Springs have had an agreement in place whereby a member of the City’s Police Department serves as a SRO. This dedicated SRO provides a means for both school safety and emergency response.
“I am very pleased that the Saratoga Springs School Board has taken the City Council up on our request to utilize additional School Resource Officers via the Saratoga Springs Police Department and funding via the City Finance Department for additional SRO services - exactly what the City Council offered in November of 2018,” said City Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan.
Per the approved Resolution on November 2018, the City Council stated their belief that additional School Resource Officers who are trained to support students, parents, and teachers on a variety of school-related issues would be beneficial to all parties.
According to Department of Public Safety Commissioner Peter Martin, the City is in the process of training three additional officers to be SROs, which will enable them to serve the school district as needed. The funding for this initiative was made possible through the 2019 budget process.
Said Commissioner Madigan, “While this first step is appreciated and supported by both the School Board and City Council, it is still my desire to see additional City Police Department-trained SROs dedicated to the Saratoga Springs School District.”