school resource officers

Press release:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. is pleased to announce that the Genesee County Legislature and Elba Central School Board of Education approved the placement of a School Resource Officer for Elba’s district.  Deputy Ryan W. Young was selected to fill this position and started his assignment last month.  Deputy Young is a 6 1/2-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and has 10 years of law enforcement experience.  He is a field training officer and has earned four Commendations during his tenure with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Additionally, there have been other School Resource Officer assignment changes in Genesee County school districts:

• Genesee Valley BOCES selected Deputy Kyle J. Tower for assignment at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.  Deputy Tower has been with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office for over two years and has eight years of previous public safety experience.
• Oakfield-Alabama Central School District selected Deputy Jordan M. Alejandro as its new SRO during last year’s school year.  Deputy Alejandro is a 3 ½-year veteran with the Sheriff’s Office and was awarded a Commendation in 2020.

“There are now seven Genesee County school districts with School Resource Officers.  Deputy Patrick J. Reeves at Pembroke, Deputy Eric J. Meyer at Alexander, Deputy Jeremy M. McClellan at Pavilion, and Deputy Joshua A. Brabon at Byron-Bergen.  It has been my goal to have SROs in each school district to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty, and I am very pleased that we have now added Elba Central School District to that list,” stated Sheriff Sheron.

Submitted photos.

Top photo: BOCES SRO/Deputy Kyle Tower.

Elba: (from left to right) Superintendent Gretchen Rosales, Elementary Principal Jessica Cramer, Jr./Sr. High School Principal Morgan Marcello, and Deputy/SRO Ryan Young.

Byron-Bergen:  (from left to right) Director of Instructional Services Betsy Brown, SRO/Deputy Joshua Brabon, Superintendent Pat McGee. Photo Credit: Gretchen Spittler

Alexander:  (from left to right)  Middle School/High School Principal Shannon Whitcombe, Elementary School Principal Erin Weingaertner, SRO/Deputy Eric Meyer, Middle School/High School Asst. Principal Paul Hazard, Superintendent Jake Taft

Pembroke:  (from left to right) Jr./Sr. High School Principal Dr. Nathan Work, SRO/Deputy Patrick Reeves, Superintendent Matthew Calderon, Jr. Sr. High School Vice Principal Brandon Ricci

Oakfield-Alabama:  Superintendent John Fisgus and SRO/Deputy Jordan Alejandro

Pavilion:  Superintendent Mary Kate Hoffman and SRO/Deputy Jeremy McClellan

Press Release

Officials from the Batavia Police Department (BPD) and the Batavia City School District (BCSD) officially introduced the community to School Resource Officers (SRO) for the 2022-2023 school year. 

Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens, who has served as an SRO since 2021, is returning this school year, and Batavia Police Officer Connor Borchert, who started with BCSD in September, was officially introduced as the district’s second SRO.

School Resource Officers are trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response. They work directly with school administrators and staff to enable a safe learning environment, and act as a resource for students, staff, and community. Officers Stevens and Borchert will serve as a liaison between the school district and police department, and will provide essential on-campus law enforcement, informal student mentoring, as well as participate in select in-person teaching opportunities in the classroom.

“Health and safety are our top priorities across the Batavia City School District. In addition to adding another School Resource Officer, we’re prioritizing funding and grants to provide essential mental health resources to assist with social and emotional issues that have emerged as a result of the pandemic. We’re approaching school safety from a variety of angles and appreciate the incredible support we’ve received from the Board of Education, our administrators, staff, students, parents, and community members,” said Jason Smith, Superintendent, Batavia City School District. “We also want to thank the Batavia Police Department who have been a great partner throughout this process—we have shared goals of community health and safety, and our collaboration will certainly help support our students and families.”

“The safety of students is of paramount importance to the Batavia Police Department and we want the parents and caregivers of students to know that their children’s safety is our highest priority, especially while they are attending school and school related events,” said Shawn Heubusch, Chief, Batavia Police Department.  “We are working very closely and collaboratively with Batavia City School District officials on this important community concern.”

In addition, Dr. Molly Corey, BCSD Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, discussed resources available to students and families, including mental health programs, additional grant funding, and counselor support, while Athletic Director Mike Bromley also discussed the enhanced security measures recently adopted at Van Detta Stadium.

Officer Stevens has been with the BPD for four years and has been an SRO in Batavia for approximately a year and a half while also serving as a substitute SRO prior to becoming full-time. A Batavia native, Officer Stevens attended Pembroke Central School District and graduated from Genesee Community College and SUNY Brockport where she studied and earned degrees in Criminal Justice.

Officer Borchert is from Akron and has been with the BPD since 2019.  He is a 2015 graduate of Akron Central School and attended Niagara University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology with a minor in Sociology.

“The City of Batavia is pleased to support and provide the resources to bring on a second SRO for our schools,” said City Council President Eugene (Geno) Jankowski Jr.  “One of the key components of our annual strategic plan is to ensure that our residents feel safe.  Protecting our children is one of our top priorities.”

Top Photo: Batavia Police Officers Connor Borchert and Miah Stevens, the city school district's school resource officers; and above, City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch and Superintendent Jason Smith. Submitted photos.