Darien Police Chief: School Safety Is Top Priority

DARIEN, CT — To calm concerns about school safety in Darien following the tragic mass shooting in Parkland, FL on Feb. 14, Darien Police Chief Ray Osborne Wednesday issued the following statement to the community:

The members of the Darien Police Department would like to assure all of our residents that the safety of our children is a top priority. In light of recent events, our staff has been in contact with the school administrators and School Superintendent Dan Brenner to review current safety policies in an effort to locate areas that might be updated or improved. We will continue to maintain an excellent working relationship with the schools and we pledge to keep an immediate and open dialog in the event we receive information that involves any type of threatening behavior or circumstances.

Since the tragedy that took place in Sandy Hook in 2012, much has been done at the police department in the way of training and how we respond to school related investigations. Our School Resource Officer at Darien High School is highly trained and well prepared to quickly respond to any emergency. Our two Youth Detectives and our School Liaison Officers, as well as every other member of the Darien Police Department have received recent and up to date training on how to respond to an emergency should it be necessary. We have also worked closely with the school facilities manager to review and enhance security measures to ensure that our school buildings are as safe as possible. Please be assured that all Darien police officers are committed to providing the highest level of service possible, especially when it involves to the safety of children.

Any questions regarding safety issues that can be addressed by the Darien Police Department can be referred to either Detective Mark Cappelli or Detective James Palmieri in our Youth Division at 203-662- 5330.

Patch file photo