City council approves plan for officers in Rochester schools, amended school year

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Rochester City Council officially voted in favor of a proposal to allow officers at select RCSD schools during arrival and dismissal times through the summer and into the next school year.

The approved proposal has a new price tag of $861,000 — up from the initial $90,000 plan to cover only the summer.

Councilmember Mary Lupien sparked discussion Tuesday with a new amendment she said would allow RCSD to collaborate with the city on a holistic community safety plan, focused on violence prevention and intervention without solely relying on police. That amendment failed.

Lupien said she would like to see expansions to violence prevention initiatives, including the city’s Pathways to Peace program.

“Programs like Pathways to Peace, in supporting the social-emotional development of our students, is not just about managing their behavior, but it gives them skills that will follow our students beyond the schoolyard and their days at RCSD,” she said.

Despite some RCSD board members and a majority of city council agreeing with Lupien’s amendment, it was officially withdrawn. The issue boiled down to the legality of what the city can mandate for the district and what it cannot.

The original plan was approved Tuesday with just one no vote from City Councilmember Stanley Martin.

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