May 11, 2009

REP. ROJAS ANNOUNCES HOUSE PASSAGE
OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS BILL

State Representative Jason Rojas announces passage of House Bill 6489: An Act Concerning a Plan for School Resource Officers. This house passed the bill yesterday in a 142-1 vote and the legislation calls for the development of a training program for police officers who work in school systems across the state as School Resource Officers.

"There are increasing collaborations between school systems and local police departments in which officers are assigned to work in schools. I believe that police officers are positive assets in our school communities and we want our officers to be better prepared to work with students in a proactive manner with the goal of reducing the number of young people who are arrested in Connecticut schools."

This bill would require the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council to partner with the Department of Children and Families, the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Department and the Connecticut School Resource Officer Association to develop and implement a training plan for School Resource Officers. The plan would include training in the areas of the role and responsibilities of school resource officers, security awareness in the school environment, counseling, mediation and conflict resolution, disaster and emergency response, child and adolescent psychology and development, cultural competence, gender-responsive strategies and de-escalation of student behavior, including, but not limited to, students with behavioral health and special education needs.

The bill awaits Senate passage. If signed into the law, the change will take effect on July 1, 2009.

Rep. Rojas is serving his first term in the Connecticut General Assembly representing East Hartford, Manchester and Glastonbury. He serves on the Finance, Higher Education, and Planning & Development Committees.