New Officer at Melrose Middle School

Your children may have noticed a new face at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School.

Officer William (Bill) Higgins began last week as the School Resource Officer, assigned to the school to serve as a positive role model and assist students with problems both inside and outside of school walls.

Higgins, a 1990 Melrose High graduate, is anticipated to also be present at many school extracurricular activities and events, the City of Melrose said Tuesday morning.

A School Resource Officer - or SRO - is not uncommon at Melrose Schools; Melrose High has had one for more than 20 years. The middle school's SRO program was launched with a $125,000 gran ffrom the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to be used over three years.

“Officer Higgins’ presence in the middle school certainly adds value to this community, as he will work to build relationships between the middle school and the police department,” Chief Michael Lyle said. “I’m confident that a continued police officer presence at the school will be beneficial to students, as it has been at the high school.”

Higgins worked as a police officer at the Nantucket Police Department from 1999 to 2012, when he joined the Melrose Police Department, holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Salem State University, is an active member of the Massachusetts National Guard, and is EMT certified, the City said.

“We’re extremely pleased to have a full-time law enforcement presence at the middle school to interact with and assist students,” Superintendent Cyndy Taymore said. “I know Officer Higgins will be a positive influence on our middle school community and I look forward to working with him and the Melrose Police Department.”

Photo courtesy City of Melrose