http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120929/NEWS02/709299922
Published September 29, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield High School considers game security
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield High School wants to keep its environment safe. The problem is finding the financial resources to make it possible.
School officials this week made their case before the School and Select boards why they need more security on campus. Athletic Director Joe Brown asked the boards for financial support.
He said there were some unfortunate incidents that transpired during varsity events last year. He did not specify what happened but thought a Springfield police officer would have been appropriate.
“We had quite a few occurrences,” Brown said.
Springfield High School Principal Bob Thibault provided more specifics. He said there were four incidents at varsity football games where police presence would have helped.
Student conduct was part of the problem and some of it “came from the adults,” he said. According to Thibault, many high schools are hiring police officers or security guards and finding it to be effective.
“The connection between police and the community has a high pay off at these events,” Thibault said.
Springfield High School will host 32 home games for the remainder of fall sports and winter sports beginning in late November. There are 10 varsity basketball games for the girls’ and boys’ varsity teams and the remaining six games are split between the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams and the Springfield football team which is now playing at a junior varsity level.
According to Brown, a police officer costs $240 a game and $74 per game for a security guard. While Springfield Police would like to cover sporting events, Springfield Police Chief Doug Johnston said it comes down to availability.
High school events are “extra duties” and are not required for Springfield police officers. They can sign up for them, he said, but they may not be able to respond to more pressing matters.
“A lot of times between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. we have two officers on duty. You won’t be able to get anyone to do (the games). It’s an officer safety issue,” Johnston said.
School Board Chairman Scott Adnams suggested a school resource officer as an alternative. Adnams said the boards discussed the idea in the past but it never materialized due to a lack of funding.
Town Manager Bob Forguites heard of a U.S. Department of Justice grants program where municipalities can obtain up to $125,000 for police hiring and training purposes. Grants were awarded in the summer but the town could apply for the funds the following year.
No decision was made by the joint boards. The matter will be discussed again at a future joint boards meeting.
good job to the author for putting all of the pathetic issues Springfield is dealing with concerning the Local School Board, athletics, police, finances and naming some of the idiots involved.
ReplyDeleteSeriosly, I am going to Rob the Bank at 5:30 on Game Day.
After leading the parking officer on a chase through theindustrial park I am going to hide out downtown on Park St.
LOL
DeleteI just read the Bellows Falls Reporter
ReplyDeleteFront page reads
Springfield Vt
Heroin sales up at SHS as Football team crumbles and Police Chief cries " We just can't cover the whole 100 yards, 1/2 a team, and very few showing up without a vote to increase our budget"
Springfield....
Your kids aren't worht it.
I think you are funny. I too have grown tired of the biased writing style the Rutland Herald has towards Springfield. I am sure it must be hard to be a halfwit and create a writing style that finds it's voice amoung morons of all kinds over there in Springfield. HA HA HA
Delete@ 8:43 a.m.
DeleteWe like ourselves, don't we?
@ 9:17 PM
DeleteYes, Church Lady, yes we do.
Well, good. Isn't that, special?!
DeleteFrom reading the papers looks like Bellows Falls is keeping pace with us regarding illegal substances.
DeleteSchool Board Chairman Scott Adnams suggested a school resource officer as an alternative. So where Mr. Adnams is the money coming from to pay for this officer? Do we lay off teachers or paras? If I recall from watching SAPA and attending the board meetings, the last time this was tried the Police Chief wanted the school district to provide a unmarked police car, office space, computers, phones, radio, uniforms, training and pay for overtime for the SRO. Thankfully the board at the time was smart enough to vote "NO"! You know the Police Chief is going to ask for this again! How about Mr, Adnams, you stay with school business and let the Police Chief figure it out without taxing us double (school taxes and town taxes) for police protection! The budget hasn't even been worked on and you are already spending money on non-educational items. We as taxpayers can not afford this as an answer.
ReplyDeleteSeriously... Chairman Adnams is correct. or get the real cop. If you wan't to have a bunch of people screamin' "State Champions" and walkin the walk.
DeleteYou'r gonna need the boys in blue to keep the jealousy in check.
Quit cryin' in yer beer. Just ask for parents and volunteers to patrol the hallways of SHS...
DeleteThe problem with a School Resource Officer is that he or she would still be under the control and direction of the Police Chief who appears to be not under anyones control...certainly not the Selectboard's.
Deletetake the money out of the football budget, they dont need it........
ReplyDeleteor get rid of the apple blossom cotillion
DeleteYou guys are making a mountain out of another idea to spend taxpayer monies. The solution is simple. I thought the school system had finally gotten it when they cancelled football but I guess not. The answer for the Springfield athletic program is to just cancel all of the sports. Problem solved. No security needed!
Delete@ Anonymous @ 8:22 As the parent of a budding football player... you are a moron... kids who do extra curricular activities do better in school.
Delete@Anonymous 8:42.... your ignorance is showing... the cotillion is sponsored by Springfield HOSPITAL and the money raised is used for scholarships.
@ Anonymous @ 9:12... your ignorance is showing as well.... the football program wasn't cancelled... there are no varisty games, we are still playing a jv schedule. Again, students who participate in extra curricular activites do better in school. Less time for them to get involved in other activities that our town is grappling with like gangs and drugs. If you are unwilling to spend your tax dollars on the things that this town needs, please, by all means move to a town that doesn't offer these things to their students. The sooner you move the better.
What's budding football player? Is that one that can't hang during the season and quits?
Delete@ Anonymous @ 11:03.... your ignorance is showing as all 3 of the posts you trol were obvious jokes.
Deletea budding football player is one that smokes pot
Deletebut doesn't drink or shoot heroin
But smoking pot is a gateway drug opening the mind to all kinds of other abusive behavior. I know a guy who knows a guy that after smoking pot actually relieved himself off the bridge over Comtu Falls. True story and no(Anonymous @ 1:23 PM) this is not a joke.
Delete@ 2:37 I know 1,378 seniors who have all "relieved" themselves on the side of the road at inopportune moments as well...... Does that mean seniors participate in abusive behavior all of the time ? get real. legalize pot
DeleteKids who participate in extracurriculars normally do better in school than those who don't -- its possible that football might be an exception, but I am willing to bet that a kid who is in football is likely to do better than a kid who isn't in anything at all, and football is one sport where some of its participants are not in any other extracurricular. Some of these kids need structured time away from their family, and this tends to be more true of football players than any other sport....so we should be supporting football as well as the other sports.
Deleteits called the favorites game. turn a blind eye and ear to our special jocks.
Deletegrant=welfare
ReplyDeletegrant=taxpayers getting screwed again!
ReplyDeleteThe only reason they are talking grant is that the taxpayers have elected a Selectboard which has lost control of it Police Chief and has apparently so tightened its budget that it can no longer supply basic police coverage. So somebody is getting screwed, but would prefer it to be the America's taxpayers in general than Springfield's citizens in particular.
DeleteThe bigger question is why has the school board not started a search for a superintendant to replace FRANK? Well, that would be because they are planning on keeping him. Soon you will hear that they are extending his contract. Wait and see! Incompetants
ReplyDeletewell at the meeting last night on SAPA the board voted to spend several thousand dollars for a consultant to help them begin a nationwide superintendent search
DeleteUnfortunately it probably isn't a consultant who would assess the particular needs but rather a headhunter who just finds a breathing heart that could fill the vacency with no regard to whether they have a track record of success or not. And suffice it to say I am extremely doubtful the board has the capability or caqpacity to discern that need.
DeleteAbout time....
ReplyDeleteThis article is amazing in that it focuses completely on the School Board and ignores what the majority of the discussion was about. The school was willing to pay overtime to have a town police officer available and the Selectboard still couldn't figure out how to pass a resolution directing the Police Chief to make an officer available. The problem here wasn't the school or the school administration or the athletic director, the problem here is that Town has somehow so total screwed up its police department that it can't fill two vacancies in the department and can't supply police coverage for large community events even when the school offers to pay at overtime rates for the coverage. This is a pathetic response from the Selectboard, but I am sure that the Chairman will report next meeting that the Selectboard has solved the problem. Amazing...
ReplyDelete