Two Ontario County sheriff's deputies assigned to local school districts have completed weeklong school resource officer training focused on school safety, crisis response and working with students.
Deputy John "Zach" McCauley, the school resource officer for Naples Central School District, and Deputy Aaron Douglas, who serves Victor Central School District, completed the Basic School Resource Officer School in Saranac Lake, the Sheriff's Office said Monday.
The Committee on Policing and Safeguarding Our Schools hosted the program in partnership with the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Saranac Lake Police Department.
The school resource officer training covered adolescent development, de-escalation, threat assessment, emergency planning and building relationships with students, educators and families. The course also addressed the officers' combined roles in public safety, mentorship, education and collaboration.
Sheriff David Cirencione said the training strengthens the skills officers need to build meaningful relationships with students while helping schools remain safe and supportive places to learn.
"We congratulate Deputy McCauley and Deputy Douglas on this accomplishment and appreciate their continued dedication to the students, staff, and families of Ontario County," Cirencione said in the release.
The Sheriff's Office said it plans to continue professional development for school resource officers serving districts across the county.
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