Most Recent Episode Of Pride In Parsippany Discusses New SRO Program

In the newest episode of Pride In Parsippany posted to the town's YouTube on July 27, Mayor James Barberio, sits down with Security Resource Officers and their Director of Security for the school district, Lt. Brian Dowd of the Parsippany PD, to discuss how the SRO program is working out.

Back in March, the Parsippany Council passed a resolution with 4 votes to 1 to add two additional SROs and a director of security to oversee the program throughout the town's school district.

According to Council President Louis Valori, the shared-service agreement between the town and the Board of Education will save the town an estimated $170,000 as the district will split the cost of the salaries of the SROs and their director.

The resolution was in response to State Bill 2983, which passed the NJ Senate in January but has not moved beyond committee since then. The bill looks to provide Class Three officers to school districts in the form of security. Class Three officers are essentially armed, retired cops who are under the age of 65 and of sound mind and body, according to the terms of the bill. Parsippany plans to use the money saved by the shared-service agreement regarding SROs on Class Three officers to bolster their school security if the bill is passed.