POLICE-SCHOOL PACT TO GET FRESH REVIEW

Superintendent Urges Students To Trust Police

Strong relationships between police and students is an essential part of
preventing student crime, according to superintendent Jere Hochman.

Consequently, Hochman is reexaming a 7-year-old pact the schools have with the
Amherst Police Department, hoping to strengthen trust between students and law
enforcement.

Former Amherst Police Chief Donald N. Maia signed an agreement in 1997 with
then-superintendent Gus Sayer stating that the schools would turn over to
police any student possessing, trafficking or under the influence of drugs on
school grounds or at school functions.

Hochman discussed the agreement with Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee
members last week. He said he also plans to review it soon with Police Chief
Charles Scherpa.

The agreement Hochman and Scherpa will look at is slightly revised from the
original. Hochman has removed references to police being called in for students
found to be using drugs.

''We all agreed that's not their domain,'' Hochman said Monday. Those students
should be punished by school officials, Hochman and school committee members
said at last week's meeting.

Although there are fewer offenses punishable by police in this agreement,
Hochman is not relaxing the relations between the police and the schools.

''The document is just a piece of paper. We want to build a relationship,''
Hochman said.

Police don't patrol the schools now, and Hochman said that would not change.

But he said he wants students and police to get to know each other outside of
the schools.

''We've got - from what I can tell - some trust building in some areas,'' he
said.

''This shouldn't be seen as we're bringing in the cops ... This is another part
of community,'' said committee member Maureen Ecclestone.

''We want to make this a community effort to keep kids safe,'' Hochman said at
last week's meeting. ''I do hope that [in] any discussion we have about
discipline we do focus on prevention and building relationships.''

Amherst Regional High School co-principal William Wehrli told the school
committee that teachers and administrators have been following the agreement.

''My understanding is this reflects the law,'' said Wehrli. ''They are required
to do what it says here whether we have this agreement or not.''

The school committee did not formally vote on the agreement, but gave Hochman
the go-ahead to strengthen communication with the police.

Hochman said Monday that he plans on meeting with Scherpa and the co-principals
of the high school soon. He also will research laws on weapons in schools and
possibly include regulations about weapons in the new agreement.

As talks with police and school administrators move forward, Hochman said he
plans to involve students.