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Elk Grove Village to resume school resource officer program in District 54

After a 14-year hiatus, Elk Grove Village police will once again provide a school resource officer to serve Mead Junior High and the village's two elementary schools within Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54.

Meanwhile, Schaumburg police could increase their number of school resource officers for District 54 from one to two. Schaumburg holds the largest concentration of the district's 28 schools, including three junior highs.

Elk Grove Deputy Police Chief Michael Gaspari said recent conversations between the department and school district led them to reverse their mutual 2004 decision that there wasn't enough work for a school resource officer. At that time, the program had been running for four years.

Recent talks led to a feasibility study by the department that concluded there are many ways a school resource officer could improve relationships with the school district.

"They can mediate issues with bullying and cyberbullying," Gaspari said. "They can be a problem solver. They can advocate for the students as mentors and counselors."

District 54 spokeswoman Terri McHugh emphasized that the relationship between the school district and Elk Grove Village police department never suffered in the absence of the school resource officer.

"The Elk Grove Village Police Department has always been there to support the schools in any way they could," she said.

The district has a great rapport with all the police departments that serve it, she added.

While Hanover Park and Roselle don't provide school resource officers to district schools in those communities, all three villages with District 54 junior highs - Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg - will now.

Schaumburg Police Chief Jim Lamkin said he's awaiting village board approval next month to add a second school resource officer this year.

Among the reasons Lamkin cited for the addition are the greater need for school security, a better understanding of what's going on in schools, and the relationships that develop between the officers and students.

Generally, the school district pays nine months of the officer's salary, with the village picking up the rest, Lamkin said.

"No one wants to put a financial impact on the issue of school safety," he added.

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