Recorder Staff
Monday, October 03, 2016
NORTHFIELD — For Igor Komerzan, being a school resource officer means
more than just enforcing the law. He also acts as a counselor, an
educator, a traffic director, a participant in gym class, a lunch buddy
and even a soccer coach.
Komerzan, known by the students at Pioneer Valley Regional School as “Officer K,” started as the school district’s first resource officer on Aug. 22. Though some parents and staff initially expressed resistance to the idea, Massachusetts mandates all school districts employ at least one school resource officer.
Since then, however, Komerzan said, students, parents and staff have had the chance to get to know him and understand his responsibilities.
The majority of the Pioneer community has been very supportive during his first month on the job, Komerzan said. He described how students often bring him coffee and doughnuts, and how the senior class is working to decorate his office.
A day in the life Before and after school, Komerzan oversees traffic flow and ensures drivers comply with the speed limit in the schools parking and drop-off areas.
“There’s designated areas for student drop off, but people
weren’t really following those,” he said, explaining that he helps
direct people to the proper areas.
Throughout the day, he visits classrooms, participating in activities with the students such as floor hockey in gym class. He has given in-class presentations about arrest procedures, constitutional rights, with future plans to present on how to write a police report and to make a brochure about social media safety.
He also spends time in the cafeteria.
“I try to be there for all three (lunch periods) just because there’s the most kids together,” he said. “I get to know them and eat lunch with them.”
On Monday through Thursday, Komerzan oversees the 16 players on the girls middle school soccer team as their new coach.
“We’re having a blast,” Komerzan said, adding that it’s a great way for him to get to know the middle school students and their parents.
Curbing misconceptionsBut Komerzan said there are still misconceptions about his responsibilities, and that he has received numerous phone calls from parents expressing their concern about recent student vehicle searches.
According to Superintendent Ruth Miller and Northfield Police Chief Robert Leighton, a school only needs to have reasonable suspicion of finding drugs, alcohol, tobacco products, weapons or other items not allowed on school property in order to conduct a search of a student’s backpack, locker, vehicle or person. Reasonable suspicion is a lower threshold than probable cause, which police officers need to conduct a search, making the school within its rights.
However, Komerzan, as a police officer, cannot conduct the searches.
“School rules are school rules and I don’t enforce those,” he said. Rather, he enforces laws, so when one student was found to have less than an ounce of marijuana, the civil infraction was referred to Komerzan.
A school resourceKomerzan is also there for students as a law-related counselor, and has helped them work through problems at home. He gave the example of one student who sought help for a parent struggling with drug abuse. Komerzan was able to recommend court-mandated treatment and advised the student of how to complete the necessary paperwork.
Now that he has settled into his new role at Pioneer, Komerzan hopes to start visiting the district’s four elementary schools on a regular basis. After he takes a class from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9 that will teach him how to pass on knowledge about drugs, alcohol, bullying, violence and personal safety to children, Komerzan will implement the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program at each school.
Lets hear what you have to say .
Komerzan, known by the students at Pioneer Valley Regional School as “Officer K,” started as the school district’s first resource officer on Aug. 22. Though some parents and staff initially expressed resistance to the idea, Massachusetts mandates all school districts employ at least one school resource officer.
Since then, however, Komerzan said, students, parents and staff have had the chance to get to know him and understand his responsibilities.
The majority of the Pioneer community has been very supportive during his first month on the job, Komerzan said. He described how students often bring him coffee and doughnuts, and how the senior class is working to decorate his office.
A day in the life Before and after school, Komerzan oversees traffic flow and ensures drivers comply with the speed limit in the schools parking and drop-off areas.
Throughout the day, he visits classrooms, participating in activities with the students such as floor hockey in gym class. He has given in-class presentations about arrest procedures, constitutional rights, with future plans to present on how to write a police report and to make a brochure about social media safety.
He also spends time in the cafeteria.
“I try to be there for all three (lunch periods) just because there’s the most kids together,” he said. “I get to know them and eat lunch with them.”
On Monday through Thursday, Komerzan oversees the 16 players on the girls middle school soccer team as their new coach.
“We’re having a blast,” Komerzan said, adding that it’s a great way for him to get to know the middle school students and their parents.
Curbing misconceptionsBut Komerzan said there are still misconceptions about his responsibilities, and that he has received numerous phone calls from parents expressing their concern about recent student vehicle searches.
According to Superintendent Ruth Miller and Northfield Police Chief Robert Leighton, a school only needs to have reasonable suspicion of finding drugs, alcohol, tobacco products, weapons or other items not allowed on school property in order to conduct a search of a student’s backpack, locker, vehicle or person. Reasonable suspicion is a lower threshold than probable cause, which police officers need to conduct a search, making the school within its rights.
However, Komerzan, as a police officer, cannot conduct the searches.
“School rules are school rules and I don’t enforce those,” he said. Rather, he enforces laws, so when one student was found to have less than an ounce of marijuana, the civil infraction was referred to Komerzan.
A school resourceKomerzan is also there for students as a law-related counselor, and has helped them work through problems at home. He gave the example of one student who sought help for a parent struggling with drug abuse. Komerzan was able to recommend court-mandated treatment and advised the student of how to complete the necessary paperwork.
Now that he has settled into his new role at Pioneer, Komerzan hopes to start visiting the district’s four elementary schools on a regular basis. After he takes a class from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9 that will teach him how to pass on knowledge about drugs, alcohol, bullying, violence and personal safety to children, Komerzan will implement the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program at each school.
Lets hear what you have to say .
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