WALLINGFORD, CT — Police Chief John Ventura envisions a future with armed security officers at every school in town based on the experience of having an officer stationed at each of the two high schools and two middle schools this school year.
The school district and police department may expand the roster of armed security officers, Ventura said this week, following how well-received the initiative has been from administrators since its implementation at the start of the school year.
There's interest in adding as many as eight ASOs by the 2025-26 school year beyond the current four, with one officer to cover every school.
"I couldn't be more happy with the program," Ventura said. "It's a good tool to have them there, but it also gives them the agency, the ability to react even quicker than we can, because we have an ASO in the school that has our radio system and our equipment. I think that if you ask the principals at the four schools, they are happy with the arrangement and ultimately in the future, hopefully we look to expand the program and possibly get them to cover all the Wallingford schools."
The four current security officers are former police officers who retired in good standing. Though not members of the police force, they receive training and equipment from the department, along with certification after an initial background check. ASOs are paid $55,000 for the school year from the police department budget, totaling $220,000 between all four officers.
The cost of eight new positions, should they be implemented, would be $440,000 — amounting to $660,000 for a full complement district-wide.
The four ASOs this school year joined the town's two existing school resource officers, who are full-time police officers that respond to incidents across the district, along with unarmed members of security. Unlike school resource officers, who handle district-wide cases typically involving juvenile incidents, ASOs handle security at one specific school.
'Love the interaction'
Sean Connolly serves at Dag Hammarskjöld Middle School. Previously a detective for 26 years with New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, he retired in 2022, yet continued work as a security officer at North Branford High School. When the positions for ASO officers in Wallingford opened last year, he took the opportunity because it allowed him to work close to home.
According to Connolly, his responsibilities are to assist staff, along with directing students and traffic during dismissal, assisting visitor screening, and patrolling the buildings and grounds. Unlike SROs, armed security officers aren't involved in student disciplinary actions. He said one of his favorite aspects of the job has been interacting with the children every day.
"I come in here and I love the interaction with the students. I've got three children myself. They all actually went through Wallingford public schools. I just love having the interaction with the students and the staff," Connolly said.
Connolly feels the role of an ASO is to be a positive presence for the kids, he said, and someone they can trust and talk to, which is just as important as the practical security routine.
"It's a positive thing for the students that they see somebody who is a representative from the police department in their schools on a daily basis."
Long-awaited
Lyman Hall High School Principal Joseph Corso was grateful for the new officers this school year, he said, in large part because he's been asking for additional security for the nine years he's been there to cover the school's large campus of over 900 students. Corso said schools of its size usually have multiple officers, while Lyman Hall has only ever had one.
"For years we've been trying to get some additional security guards here at school," Corso said. The ASO "for us has been a great addition, great rapport with the kids, clear ability to work positively and have a positive relationship, is a huge help for us. Pick up and dismissal our often traffic nightmares because of the sheer number of parents that pick up and drop off their kids along with our bus traffic and our walkers. So he's been a huge help in the morning helping to direct a flow of traffic out there and provide at all of our evening academic events an additional level of security and an opportunity to meet with families too."
Recently, the Enfield school district also approved the implementation of ASOs, a decision was met with backlash from teachers and parents who argued it would provide negligible benefit to security and make children feel unsafe.
One resident cited a 2021 study from the The Journal of the American Medical Association which found no reduction in violent incidents due to the presence of armed officers, and that the rate of death was 2.83 times greater when one was present.
But Corso said based on the experience of this school year, Lyman Hall is benefiting, and he believes in the concept philosophically.
"I've got 21 years in the military too, so when I look at safety and security, I would much rather respond to having too much security, a question about that, than not having enough security," he said. "God forbid something was to happen. So it's kind of a no-brainer, I don't see any downside to having an individual in the position, I think the key is that you have an individual in the position that has an ability and understanding to communicate with young adults, which we have here."
Connolly also felt his position was a necessity for school safety.
"I think it's very important. I mean, there's a lot of schools, unfortunately, that had serious incidents or probably have that (question) what if we had one security officer, armed security officer or school resource officer, could they have pre-prevented that tragedy?" Connolly said.
Although there was some initial nervousness from students when he first arrived, Connolly said, over the semester they've opened up and welcomed him as a constant presence in the halls.
"When I first arrived, they didn't really know what to do or how to be with me," he said. "But I mean, they're all very positive. They come up to me, I have great conversations with them ... I just think it's a great program."
BOE leaders respond
Schools Superintendent Danielle Bellizzi wouldn't say if the district was planning to add any more officers, but said the school district has had a close and collaborative relationship with the police department.
"This relationship can be highly beneficial in creating a comprehensive approach to ensuring the safety and security of students and staff and is essential for creating a safe and secure learning environment for students, staff, and the community," she said.
Members of the school board also expressed approval of the current direction of the program.
"I am so grateful to have the support of these officers," said school board Vice Chair Rajan Doering. "It is wonderful to have individuals in our schools on a daily basis who do not have non-school duties and are able to serve our students. They are much more than just enforcers of rules — they really become an integrated part of the community."
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