Police chief outlines proposed single SRO for high school; board hears presentation, takes no vote

The Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education on April 23 heard a presentation from the town’s chief of police on a proposed School Resource Officer (SRO) program that would place one full‑time sworn officer primarily at Niskayuna High School; the board did not vote on the proposal.

The chief told the board the program would follow a nationally recognized SRO framework and focus on mentorship, education and crisis management as well as school safety. “Youth‑centered, education focused, and relationship driven,” the chief said, adding that building trust and sustained contact with students would be the program’s priority.

Board members asked detailed questions about enforcement limits, training, juvenile arrests and transparency. Superintendent Carl emphasized that the district’s intent is not to criminalize school disciplinary issues: schools must remain “safe places where children can make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, and grow,” he said, and the district expects accountability…