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The move was in response to a request from Bedford School District Superintendent Jere Hochman for the town to provide armed police officers at the school.
The Town Board members would not disclose how and when the officers would be deployed and used, saying they didn’t want to reveal strategies and protocols.
“This began when the Town Board met last week regarding Dr. Hochman’s request for a police presence at Pound Ridge Elementary,” said Town Supervisor Gary Warshauer. “We met in an executive session and discussed personnel matters related to the issue and what would be done.”
Warshauer said that Pound Ridge Police Chief David Ryan laid out the strategy regarding how the police would be used.
“The Town Board is unanimous in supporting the measures taken by the police chief,” Warshauer said. “But there are specifics from these security measures that need to be kept just among the people involved in security. But I think the chief has been very proactive.”
Warshauer said the police presence will be used in conjunction with other security measures that the school is implementing.
Board members said the police presence would remain until the end of the school year and then the procedures would be reviewed.
“This is a serious and emotional issue,” said board member Ali Boak. “We are taking a measured and responsible approach.”
Warshauer said the use of the town’s police force at the school would not have an impact on taxpayers.
“It’s absorbed into the budget,” he said. “It does not impact us financially.”
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