OBSERVER Photo by Andrew David Kuczkowski One of Dunkirk’s SROs, Dunkirk Police Officer Denise Zentz, far right in gear, poses for a photo with the principal and students of School 7. Pictured from left in back row are: School 7 Principal Michele Heenan, Edalee Aniszewski, Alivia Damon, Jordan Roberto, Maria Dolce and Officer Zentz. Second row from left: Gracey Kozlowski, Leo Nardomendoza, Julius Ortel, Jouseph Fiaguero, Rocco Muscarella (who Officer Zentz is holding). Front row: Ron Porpigla and Ismael Santiago.

Speaking from experience, Dunkirk Superintendent Dr. James Tracy knows that a school resource officer, or SRO, has more of an impact than patrolling through the hallways of the district.

Tracy came to Dunkirk in May 2016 and in his previous district, Girard, Pennsylvania, he saw the in-school police officer make an impact through relations as well as being an outlet to potential harm.

“In my last district, students would share with them things that were going to happen ahead of time,” Dr. Tracy said. “They were actually able to go into things and stop things as a result. I think that’s where we are heading.”

The city school district is entering Week 4 of having an SRO back in Dunkirk. In 2016, the school board needed to limit its expenses as the revenues — NRG plant payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT — was spiraling downward. The district, however, has only made an agreement for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year and is looking to make a long-term deal for the next school year. For the remaining two months, Tracy has a revolving set of officers from the Dunkirk Police Department coming into the schools to get acquainted with students. The school board and superintendent want a solo officer for the following agreement that will create bonds, advise students of the law and prevent catastrophes in any way.

In fall 2017, an SRO may have not made the difference in attempted-stabbing incidents. Although, if students create relations in a manner that Tracy believes he can bring to Dunkirk, it could very well be what makes a change.

City parent Deven Freitas previously said that his son was in the hallway of Dunkirk High School as another 16-year-old student pulled out a knife and swiped it at his son in November. No one was harmed, and the student was removed from the school.

In September, another student was stabbed walking home from school and Freitas, who is also a city firefighter, responded.

“I’m not trying to sue anybody,” Freitas said in an OBSERVER story on Dec. 10, 2017. “I’m just trying to get a safer place for the students and staff. It’s bad in there.”

The rebirthed SRO program needs to set roots into the student body to promote a comfortable environment.

Dunkirk police officers have been walking the halls at Dunkirk middle and high schools the first two weeks and Tracy said that officers will be entering the elementary schools this past week.

“It’s going very well,” he said. “We have a really good turnout for our local Dunkirk police officers that are giving their time between shifts to come into the school each and every day.”

Though the situations may not be as severe as those in the fall, Tracy admits that the SRO is handling student disputes. The district has SATs, or student assistant teams, that help create interventions with students. The SROs will aid this and other district needs.

The superintendent projects the officer to overlook the emergency plans to make sure they are up to date and be in charge of drills for the betterment of school safety.

SRO and Dunkirk Police Officer Denise Zentz was the first patrol person to enter the elementary schools. In School 7 on Monday, Zentz went around and created smiles as kids saw a vested-officer sharing moments with them at lunch and in the classroom.

Zentz said that there was a bit of hesitancy in the first few days with the SRO program, but the students warmed up. The Dunkirk officer had a few techniques to get a bond with the youth in the schools.

“I high-five them, I eat some tater tots with them, play basketball in the middle school with them,” she said. “I find out what they are doing and join right in.”

Some may question if Officer Zentz puts up a challenge on the basketball court, like does she block those students?

“Oh, yeah, I get right in there,” she said with a smile. “It’s kind of hard with all this stuff on (as Zentz grabs her gear around her body), but you know. We are playing and it’s fun to see the kids at a different level.”

Early on, Tracy received comments from students, faculty and parents that it’s a safe feeling to have a Dunkirk police officer talking to city students and keeping the focus on academics and school-related activities. The efforts to solidify relations with students in a way to be open and honest has been in the making this spring. The SRO will aim to inspire and inform students of what the right decisions to make as well.

“They’ve done a lot of things for us that aren’t related to SROs,” Tracy said. “For example, they have come over and read to our kids. So, the kids are familiar with them, it’s just now they are here (in school). … That person will go into the classrooms and work with kids, talk to them about issues and situations and how to handle things, whether it be bullying or anti-drugs.”

Over the next month or two, Tracy added, the school board, city board and Dunkirk Police union (Police Benevolent Association, or PBA), will be working together to mitigate a deal.

The goal from all three parties is to have an officer to create smiles with students as well as hindering all harm that may happen under the city district’s halls or to its students.

“I think it’s essential,” Tracy said of the student-SRO bond. “I know our police at Dunkirk understand that. I had enough conversations with them already and they are all looking forward for an SRO that does those things. They don’t want to go back to the old-fashioned police person walking the halls. Even they told me they don’t want them to do that.”