Cortland Police Department Captures Cops Grants

The City of Cortland Police Department was the recent recipient of a U.S. Department of Justice COPS in Schools grant in the amount of $125,000, the maximum amount available through the program. As a result of the grant, the Cortland PD has assigned Police Officer Rob Reyngoudt as the new School Resource Officer for the Cortland Enlarged City School District.

The Cortland Enlarged School District is Cortland County's largest district, encompassing four elementary schools and one junior/senior high school located within City borders. While the school district strives to provide a quality education, the fact remains that many children come to school carrying the weight of exposure to drugs and alcohol, domestic violence, shirking of parental responsibility, and family dysfunction. The school district then has to contend with the behavioral problems exhibited by the youth as a result of negative societal influences. The COPS in Schools Program is aimed at deterring bad behavior before it starts by having the officer on the school premises in a mentoring capacity and to assist in developing police-based programs such as crime awareness, safety programs, drug and alcohol programs, and procedural changes for the school district to consider.

The City and the school district are sharing the required match for this four-year program. As a requirement of the grant, Officer Reyngoudt's position must be back-filled by the Cortland Police Department.

Thoma had the pleasure of working with Cortland Police Chief James Nichols and School Superintendent John Lutz along with their respective staff on this grant application. We wish them much success with the School Resource Officer program.