Oxford Selectmen Hire School Resource Officer

OXFORD, CT — The Board of Selectmen hired David B. Nichols Jr. to serve as a part-time police officer/school resource officer. He will be paid $21.76 per hour and will start on Dec. 7.

The Selectmen also approved spending an amount not to exceed $70,000 to be taken from the general fund balance and to transfer the funds to the Board of Education for an Armed Security Officer.

Selectman Scott Flaherty asked if the selectmen should be giving the money to the school board before the ASO policy is approved, according to meeting minutes.

First Selectman George R. Temple said, via meeting minutes, "yes they can't spend it for anything else. We need to get the people in place. If we don't have the funding there, the BOE will come to us and say their policy is ready and now can't move forward because we have to wait for the funding from the BOS. Then it will be February before anything gets done."

The Board of Education will use the funds to hire three armed security officers for schools. Temple also explained that the $70,000 figure is an estimate and could change.