Story Archive

Setting the Example

In 2006, the state of Connecticut outlawed the sale of sugary soda pop in all public schools. Do “school resource officers” — police officers assigned to schools — enforce that law? Not exactly. Officers Kim DeMayo and Doug Bauman were selling soft drinks to students from their school office at West Haven High School. It’s been going on for years — a police sergeant sent a memo about it to superiors several years ago to say it raised “integrity issues,” but the practice continued when he retired. Now that a local TV news operation reported on the issue, New Haven schools Superintendent Neil Cavallaro demanded that it stop. The two officers — and West Haven police officials — refused to comment, but students said the officers should be fired for “breaking the trust” of students and parents. (RC/WTNH New Haven) ...Only one officer understood integrity as well as the students — but he retired.