PARIS — The Police Department will continue having an officer at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts said Thursday.
Colpitts and Town Manager Amy Bernard spoke Thursday morning, and Colpitts said the district is committed to hiring an officer, as long as the town still has a police department after the June 11 vote on whether to have Oxford County Sheriff’s Office provide policing for the town.
“If we don’t have a police department, they’ll be looking for a local police department to provide a resource officer,” Bernard said after the conversation.
Colpitts said keeping school resource officer and Paris police Sgt. Skip Mowatt was an important factor. “The district has been very happy with Skip Mowatt and obviously would like to keep that relationship if possible,” he said. Mowatt has had “positive and effective” interactions with students and parents, he said.
“If Paris chooses to go a different route, we’ll look at other local police departments,” Colpitts said. The proposed contract with the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office includes a school resource officer, but Colpitts said he’d prefer an officer from a local department rather than the Sheriff’s Office.
Norway police Chief Robert Federico told Norway selectmen last week that he’s seeking a grant that could help to keep a police officer position that is in jeopardy of being cut. Towns that would use the money to pay for a school resource officer would have a better chance at getting the grant.
The Paris Police Department is currently reimbursed $40,000 yearly by SAD 17 for the school resource officer.
The Norway proposal would have a U.S. Department of Justice grant pay for up to 75 percent of the position.
Colpitts said he had discussed the issue with Federico and Norway has a good proposal, but said sticking with the Paris Police Department and with Mowatt offers consistency for students.
Paris voters will decide June 11 whether to keep their Police Department or contract coverage through the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.
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