BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

CANTON -- The village of Canton will not be providing a school resource officer to Canton Central for the coming year at the school's request.

The village board has amended its three-year contract with the school district to provide an SRO. The amendment will allow the school to pass on funding the position for the coming year and not require the village to train the officer and provide equipment under the auspices of the village police department.

Village Mayor Michael Dalton said at the board's meeting July 20 that the school determined that the current economic situation caused by the pandemic and the uncertainty with state aid, would lead to the SRO being one of the first positions cut from its budget for the coming year.

"If they're not going to pay it, they're not going to pay it and we aren't going to put somebody up there," Dalton said. The mayor said however, that the village board had the option to officially let the school out of the contract by approving the amendment.

"I think it's a shame. I think in this time with the recent conversations about defunding the police and re-imagining police, that position up at the school is a perfect example of how we would like to see law enforcement cooperating with community, our community at lots of levels and in lots of ways, and that was a perfect example of that really working," said Village Trustee Carol Pynchon. Pynchon added however, that she "deeply appreciates" the financial strain the school is under with the current economy.

"I feel like we need to be good partners with them and I feel like we need to continue to work with them at the school," said Pynchon. She said she approved of letting the school off the hook for the contracted position.

"I echo what Carol says. I feel it could be a pivotal position to move forward with some of the conversations we are having on the governor's executive order (for police reform). That said I highly respect Ron Burke (school superintendent) and I know they didn't make this decision lightly," said Trustee Beth Bullock Larrabee. "I'm sad about it but do think we should be good partners and recognize that they are in a bind."

Trustees Anna Sorensen and Klaus Proemm both supported the move to amend the contract also.

Dalton said he was also disappointed with the decision, and thought the SRO position was a perfect example of "community policing."