Scott Allen, Chief of Police
153 Central St.
East Bridgewater, MA 02333
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018
Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
East Bridgewater Police Officers Complete School Resource Training Program
EAST BRIDGEWATER — Chief Scott Allen is pleased to announce that two East Bridgewater Police officers recently completed a School Resource Officer training course.
Last week, East Bridgewater Police Officers Tallitha Connor and Cecelia Cacciatore completed a 40-hour Basic School Resource Officer (SRO) training course hosted by the Norwood Police Department.
Officer Connor has been the department’s full-time SRO since last spring, working on a daily basis within the three schools of the East Bridgewater School District.
This fall, Officer Cacciatore started as an assistant SRO to support Officer Connor, with the future department goal of having a second full-time officer assigned to the school district.
The Basic SRO class was attended by 50 School Resource Officers from across the state. The course covered the tools necessary for being a successful SRO including topics such as school safety and security, SRO roles and responsibilities, the SRO attitude, as well as the laws associated with the SRO position.
SRO course attendees also learned about alternate actions to arrest, the criminal justice system for juveniles, updates on the new Juvenile Justice Crime Reform law, learning about the adolescent brain and understanding the state’s recently recommended Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for SRO’s between police departments and school districts.
“Officer Connor and Officer Cacciatore returned to the police department and school district this week better prepared to implement innovative and creative initiatives in collaboration with the district,” Chief Allen said. “With this training, they’ll be able to provide a safer learning environment for the students, staff and visitors of the town’s three schools and strengthen the relationship between police, schools and the community as a whole.”
Officer Connor and Officer Cacciatore have multi-faceted roles within the department, in addition to their SRO duties. Both help coordinate the department’s community policing programs, including citizen and student police academies, attending and participating in community events, while also working on domestic violence cases and support.
Officer Cacciatore is also a Plymouth County Outreach (PCO) substance use disorder outreach team member, helping those struggling with substance use disorders to access pathways to treatment and recovery.
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