SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN FOCUS

Cumberland Valley High School students are not so sure the district needs
to spend the money on a school resource officer.

Since about mid-summer, schools officials have been discussing the idea
with Silver Spring Township, which would entail assigning a uniformed
township police officer to the district.

"An SRO would help with activity that is criminal in nature, but also would
have a piece of his or her job that is community service oriented," said
Don Brink, the district's safety and security coordinator. "SROs are more
than police officers. They're also teachers, counselors and role models."

Both Cumberland Valley and Silver Spring officials have said they see the
possibility of adding an SRO as a deterrent to students who might be
considering making bad decisions, would see the officer and think twice.

"I believe it is a good idea, not only for the students, but the
community," Silver Spring police Chief Jim Sadler said. "It can only
enhance our rapport with the community." Senior students like Nick
Luchetti, 17, and Ryan Rilo, 18, said they think Cumberland Valley could do
without it but conceded that it could be beneficial for the district and
some students.

"Kids would be less likely to bring stuff in," Luchetti said.

Last month, the high school was locked down on two separate occasions for
drug sweeps by township police and the Cumberland County Drug Task Force.

No information has been released regarding what substances the canine
search yielded. Tracy Panzer, a district spokesperson, said the lockdowns
were held in cooperation with law enforcement agencies and the district has
been asked not to release the specifics.

No reports came from the high school on any disciplinary action, and Sadler
said no one has been charged to date.

Several drug "hits" were reported following the morning lockdowns.

Examination Needed

School officials are concerned with the number of violations to the drug
policy and wanted to send a clear message that drug usage will not be
tolerated, Panzer said about the recent searches.

Cumberland Valley's annual report on drug and alcohol violations showed
that 47 percent -- 91 of the 192 Student Assistance Program referrals for
high school students last school year -- were drug and alcohol assessments,
up from 28 percent in 2006-07, when there were 45 drug and alcohol
assessments out of 160 total referrals.

"It is for the safety and well being of all our students," Panzer said,
noting that the SRO idea was not based on drugs or the searches.

"It was no one specific incident that sparked the discussion, but rather
Don's belief based on professional experience that this was something the
district needed to examine," she said.

Crime is as prevalent at Cumberland Valley as it is in any other school
district, Brink explained.

"We are certainly not naive enough to think that any kind of crime that
happens elsewhere can't happen here," he said.

Lyndsay Busler, a junior, said she doesn't think the SRO "really changes
anything."

"I don't think it will make much difference," she said, adding that kids
will still do what they have been doing in school. "It's a waste of money."

James McDonell, also a junior, said the high school is too big for one
person to be effective. As far as student safety goes, he said, the cameras
around the school do a lot and counselors are available for other student
issues.

The school district has offered to pay 100 percent of the officer's salary
and benefits for the first year and then half the cost for subsequent
years, according to the township.

The high school would be the main focus area for the SRO. That person would
also be available, if needed, at other schools in the district, Panzer said.