POSITION TITLE: Armed School Security Officer (ASSO)

REPORTS TO: Director of Security / Superintendent

POSITION SUMMARY AND PURPOSE:

The Newtown Public Schools Armed School Security Officer (“ASSO”) Program involves the placement of armed security officers within the educational environment. The ASSO shall support the school administration and staff in promoting a safe, secure, and positive school environment. The ASSO is a visible and active figure at the school to which he/she is assigned, and shall be charged with safeguarding and protecting the school community and school property.

SUPERVISION:

The ASSO shall report directly to the NBOE Director of Security; and shall be subject to the general supervision and guidance by the Lead School Security Officer (“LSSO”), as it relates to daily basic school security and safety issues. With respect to weapons issues, the ASSO shall be under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Schools and Director of Security. The building principal retains overall responsibility for the administration of the school and supervision of students under his or her supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Must have excellent integrity and demonstrate good moral character and initiative;
Must have at least fifteen years prior experience as a sworn law enforcement officer with an organized local police department or the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and provide positive references from each prior employer served in a law enforcement capacity;
Must have been certified by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council while serving as a sworn law enforcement officer, and must have retired or separated in good standing from an organized local police department or the Division of State Police as required by CT General Statute 10-244a;
Must not have been officially found to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health by a qualified medical professional while serving as a sworn law enforcement officer or separating from service as a sworn law enforcement officer;
If the candidate has prior service with the military, the candidate must have received an honorable discharge;
Must hold and maintain a valid driver’s license with no significant traffic infractions;
Must successfully complete annual training pursuant to the Police Officer Standards and Training Council requirements and must successfully complete an annual firearms training provided by the Newtown Police Department or a certified firearms instructor that meets or exceeds the standards of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, as well as any other training required by law or Board policy;
Must keep all security certification and training requirements current, including but not limited to, permits, certifications and/or licenses to carry and use firearms or other weapons, on school property;
Must participate in and pass a full background investigation which may be required by the Board or by state or federal law;
An individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.
Must meet all requirements for an armed school security guard pursuant to Connecticut law, as amended from time to time, and must meet all requirements of a qualified retired law enforcement officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 926C, as amended from time to time.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & equipment:

Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of:

Principles and practices of armed security work within a school setting;
Weapons maintenance, discharge and storage;
The use of force;
Access control procedures;
Active threat response; and
Other emergency response protocols.

Abilities: Demonstrated abilities as follows:

Read and comprehend instructions, correspondence and memoranda;
Write basic correspondence as needed within the job functions;
Add, subtract, multiply and divide, to calculate figures and amounts, and to apply mathematical concepts to time and distance;
Define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions;
Interpret a variety of instructions in oral, written, or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete concepts where only limited standardization exists;
Handle multiple tasks and prioritize activities with a minimal level of supervision;
Work within chain of command to resolve problems; and
Observe situations and accurately determine an effective course of action.

Skills: Demonstrated skills as follows:

Excellent interpersonal skills;
Excellent oral and written communication skills;
Excellent organization skills;
Working cooperatively with multiple types of people from diverse ages and backgrounds (i.e. students, teachers, police officers, principals, parents, etc.);
Use of effective, respectful and courteous communication; and
Resourceful, accurate, reliable, punctual and accountable in all matters.

Equipment: Must lawfully possess a fully functional firearm of a make and model as may be specified and provided by the Newtown Police Department.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS OF POSITION:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

With or without reasonable accommodation, the physical and mental requirements of this job may include the following: seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly. Occasional reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling. Frequent sitting, standing, running, and walking, which may be required for long periods of time, and may involve climbing stairs and walking up inclines and on uneven terrain. Additional physical requirements may include, frequent lifting and/or moving up to 20 pounds and occasional lifting and/or moving up to 50 pounds. Hand-eye coordination is necessary to use a handgun. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, far vision and the ability to adjust focus. Required to utilize rapid and effective judgment in responding to unusual or emergency situations using appropriate escalation of force level.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS:

Subject to the provisions of any applicable federal and/or Connecticut State law, Newtown Board of Education policies and procedures, and/or Town of Newtown ordinances, the essential duties and functions of ASSOs shall be as follows:

Engage in the detection and/or prevention of any unauthorized activity on or around school grounds, including, but not limited to, the unlawful intrusion or entry on school property, vandalism, abuse, arson or trespass;
Monitor access of building and grounds (when applicable), make routine checks of exterior doors to ensure they are closed and locked, at appropriate times, and take steps to deter or prevent entry by unauthorized persons on school property;
Patrol halls and make routine checks of classroom doors to ensure that they are locked, at appropriate times;
Respond to situations which may jeopardize the welfare of students or staff in accordance with all applicable federal and/or Connecticut laws and Board policy;
Use physical force in accordance with state law and regulation, and Board policy;
Abide by all Board Policies and Regulations;
Monitor parking lots during arrival at and dismissal from school;
Assist administrators or staff in locating missing students;
Identify and report any hazardous condition to school administrators or other appropriate staff members;
When applicable, and within the training and expertise of the ASSO, assist school nurse and administrators with medical emergencies;
As requested by the administration, assist in the development and implementation of plans and strategies to prevent and/or to minimize dangerous situations on school grounds;
Act as liaison and make notification to appropriate public safety or EMS first responders in routine, emergency or high risk situations as directed by the administration;
Participate in professional development deemed necessary by the school administration;
Store firearm, ammunition, equipment, or other weapons, safely and in accordance with all applicable Board policy and federal and/or Connecticut laws;
Meet and greet students, staff, and public respectfully and courteously;
Identify and accost unauthorized persons and take appropriate action with respect to such persons, if necessary;
Carry any legally prescribed identification card at all times while on school property;
Call police for assistance as needed;
At all times while on school property, wear such distinctive uniform and or insignia as may be designated by the Board for identification purposes;
SSOs are authorized to conduct a search or seizure of any person or property of any student or any other individuals at any time if the situation warrants a direct threat to students and staff; and.
SSOs shall have the authority to question students or staff members accused of unlawful activity and/or violations of Board policy in school or on school grounds if a building administrator is not readily available during a situation that may pose a direct threat to students and staff.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive. Administration reserves the right to assign other reasonable duties to this position.

PROHIBITIONS:

ASSOs shall not take any action that interferes with the responsibilities of the school administration.
ASSOs shall have no role in taking disciplinary action against any students.
ASSOs shall not access education record information except in accordance with Board policy concerning the confidentiality of education records, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, and applicable state law.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts, in high places, and in outside weather conditions, and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

General Guidelines:

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

NON-DISCRIMINATION:

The Board of Education will not make employment decisions (including decisions related to hiring, assignment, compensation, promotion, demotion, disciplinary action and termination) on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, alienage, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws, except in the case of a bona fide occupational qualification.