SRO reports 46 September calls, five citations and five vapes recovered; board asks for clearer metrics

Officer Orin, the district’s school resource officer (SRO), told the Stoughton Area School District Board on Nov. 3 that he handled 46 calls for service in September and that school staff recovered five nicotine vapes that month. He said five municipal citations were issued in the same period and that two recovered devices had been turned in after being found on school property.

The district introduced Officer Orin and Kyle Smith, the district’s buildings and grounds supervisor and safety coordinator, as part of the quarterly update required under the district’s agreement with the city. Orin described his SRO training (NASRO basic SRO training, nonviolent crisis intervention and Safety on the Spectrum), his prior experience in corrections and patrol, and that he began the SRO assignment in July.

Why it matters: The SRO update combined operational data (calls for service and citations) with descriptions of preventive work — classroom introductions, lunchroom presence, student check‑ins and coordinated referrals to counselors and community partners. Board members said they want objective metrics to evaluate whether the position is meeting district goals for student safety and engagement.

Orin described the district’s approach to student incidents involving vaping and THC: a typical first offense at the high school results in assignment to AODA (alcohol and other drug abuse) counseling through the district’s partnership with a wellness provider and a behavior improvement plan administered by building administrators. "As long as the student completes all of that, there is no citation issued," Orin said; he added that failure to comply can lead to a municipal citation and a mandatory juvenile court appearance.

The SRO characterized calls for service broadly — "911 disconnects, medical calls, fire alarms, fender benders, vehicle unlocks," and staff or administrator referrals — and said he documents incidents even when initial information is limited to preserve context for follow‑up. He reported that some vape devices appear to be purchased online following state restrictions on flavored vapes and said the district and law enforcement are tracking that trend.

Board members pressed for clearer, shareable data. Member Mia Croio asked whether demographic breakdowns and other trends are tracked; Orin said the police CAD system and citation software capture incident data but that some decisions about disclosure and format would require coordination between the police department and the district and could require closed‑session review. "There's a way we can go through and track that data," Orin said. The district’s presenter confirmed he would re‑examine policy language and reporting mechanisms.

Orin also described non‑disciplinary parts of his work: introducing himself to K–12 classes, mentoring students in social‑emotional learning groups, attending lunches and coordinating with social workers and transition programs for students moving toward adult services. He said he views his role as school safety plus access to a trusted adult: "My job is school safety, but it's more than that," he said.

Board direction and next steps: Board members asked district staff to identify metrics to evaluate the SRO position’s impact (attendance, behavior trends, citations, referrals, restorative outcomes) and to report back. The district said it will review the SRO policy and consider whether reporting expectations should be added to clarify what data is collected and how it will be shared with the board.

What’s next: Officer Orin will return for another quarterly update shortly after the semester; board members were invited to send follow‑up questions to district staff to compile responses.