South Orangetown Central School District welcomes Orangetown Police Department Officer Andrew Vergine as its dedicated, full-time school resource officer, effective September 4.
In recent years, SOCSD and the Pearl River School District shared a single school resource officer, who also had Orangetown Police Department responsibilities. That position was paid through the Town of Orangetown.
Thanks to a new partnership agreement among the school districts, Town and Police Department, each school district will now have its own, full-time officer dedicated to serving his respective district. The Town will continue to cover the cost of a single officer and eliminate both officers’ additional Orangetown Police Department duties. The school districts will share the cost of the second officer.
“We want to synchronize the effort between local law enforcement and our administrative team,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Pritchard at the August 20 press conference hosted by Town Supervisor Chris Day at Town Hall. “Through this collaborative, we’re paying half a salary for a full-time position that will enhance our district’s existing safety measures and supports for students and staff.”
Board of Education President Rosemary Pitruzzella agreed, noting the value of providing students and local police officers with a chance to build positive relationships. “It’s a great opportunity for students to get to know our local police department.”
View the Town of Orangetown press conference video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TownofOrangetown/videos/230816157604594/
Click on the following links to view media coverage: Lohud | News12
