TOWN MOVES TO DEFINE OFFICERS' ROLE AT SCHOOL

In recent months, Chris Webster said, most high school students seem
to pay him about as much mind as any other adult, while some who
know he is a policeman confide to him about drinking parties, drugs,
or budding enmities between students on campus.

"We've made drug arrests and I've had some disorderly incidents,"
Webster said. "With 2,800 kids there will be a few who will cause
trouble or commit crimes."

Education officials have decided that police will return to campus
this September, Greenwich High School Headmaster Alan Capasso has
said, but they haven't made a permanent commitment to the
arrangement. Since February, a youth officer, armed and in plain
clothes, has been on campus following a racially charged fight that
spurred Internet threats about gangs descending on the school with guns.

Capasso and police administrators were to meet this week to set the
procedures, limits, and responsibilities for the youth officer, Capasso said.

"It will define what the actual role of the youth officer will be
and what they will and won't do," Capasso said.

One concern Capasso said the school had is that the assigned officer
not talk to students about investigations of incidents that happen
during school hours.

Administrators also want to make sure that arrests are not made when
school discipline can be just as effective, Capasso said.

"What we want to make sure everybody realizes is that this is not a
substation of the police department," Capasso said. "We are working
together for the good of Greenwich High School, and we've had
excellent cooperation from the police department."

Board of Education Chair-woman Colleen Giambo said that while the
board supported the continuation of the program last month, the
arrangement is not necessarily permanent if it is determined the
officer's presence is no longer needed.

"Given the incident that occurred, there was a sort of comfort level
that there would be an officer on hand," Giambo said. "What I
thought was important was for the high school to keep very good
records of how this experience is working. But the assignment has
led to incidents being handled more quickly and more consistently."

Since February police have arrested five trespassers on school
grounds, and made arrests for marijuana possession almost every week.

The Columbine school shootings in 1999 led to the idea of a
full-time officer on campus. Webster, 47, and retired officer Steve
Paulo became certified as school resource officers by the National
Association of School Resource Officers.

Currently Webster and officer Phyllis Mickle trade off weeks at the
high school.

In 2004 Superintendent Larry Leverett decided against a six-month
pilot program that would have placed two "resource officers," armed
and in plain clothes, on campus, citing funding problems.

Though Capasso, the police chief, the PTA co-presidents and student
government leaders all said they favored the program, First
Selectman Jim Lash opposed it, as well as a group of parents who
were concerned about having guns on campus.

Despite all the debate among adults, students said they were hardly
aware that the police were on campus, they said in interviews last week.

Seth Berkenshire, 18, said after the officer was stationed at the
school students quickly forgot about it.

"Nothing really happens here," Berkenshire said. "I think earlier
this year I saw a kid get arrested, but I don't notice the officer here."

Webster said he and Mickle have also sat in with school
administrators mediating disputes between students, often warning
that an arrest is possible for fighting or harassing each other.

At other times the pair speak to students about the dangers of
underage drinking, and of throwing or att ending parties where
alcohol is served, Webster said.

"I think we have an important role to play here," Webster said. "I
feel like we're building a relationship with the students."