Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • September 11, 2013 Ho-Ho-Kus Police, borough working on salary agreement by Jennifer Crusco Representatives of Ho-Ho-Kus Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 353 are working with borough officials with the goal of forging a new salary agreement. PBA members involved in the negotiations include Detective Anthony Balestrieri and Sergeants Jaime Bodart and Mike LaCroix. Officer M Mosca is the PBA’s alternate team member. Ho-Ho-Kus Police Commissioner Doug Troast and Deputy Police Commissioner Phil Rorty are involved in the talks on behalf of the municipality. Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Administrator Don Cirulli reported last week that both sides had held an initial meeting, and have since been involved in research. Cirulli indicated that a second meeting is anticipated in the near future. Last year, the PBA and borough signed a three-year salary contract that covered 2011, 2011, and 2013. However, that agreement is due to expire on Dec. 31, Cirulli said. Under the terms of the present agreement, PBA mem- bers received pay raises of two percent for each of the three years covered by the pact. The contract eliminated longev- ity-based increases for any member of the department hired after Jan. 1, 2011, although those hired before that cutoff date were not affected by the change. The contract also included one extra personal day, bring- ing the total to three personal days per year. Personal days cannot be “banked.” As a result, unused personal days are lost at the end of the year. The current contract also included an additional $25 for the uniform allowance. The previous PBA contract, which extended through Dec. 31, 2010, took effect Jan. 1, 2007. That agreement included salary increases of 4.25 percent for each of the years covered. PBA contracts cover the majority of the police depart- ment’s personnel, except for Ho-Ho-Kus Police Chief John Wanamaker and other personnel at the top of the organiza- tion. The PBA is involved in various community activities and events. PBA members have volunteered at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School’s fair and host the Junior Police Academy, a popular summer program for middle school students. Leonard begins new responsibilities at school At the close of this edition, Ho-Ho-Kus Police Officer Sean Leonard was due to begin his first day of school – as the borough’s first school resource officer. In addition to supervising the K-8 school’s student body at various points during the day, Leonard will also be teaching classes on Internet safety, cyber-bullying, and the dangers of drug and alcohol use. He pointed out that these classes encourage students to become savvy about their actions, including what they post online, and help them stay out of trouble. In addition to teaching the school’s younger children about stranger dangers and Halloween safety, Leonard will also available to assist the teaching staff when their lessons range into the realm of police matters. If a class is studying the U.S. Constitution, Leonard said he would be available to speak on related topics, including the Fourth Amend- ment, which concerns search and seizure. He added that he can also help the English teachers if they are working with books that cover legal topics. While Leonard said he was always interested in pursu- ing police work, he is now half-way toward earning his cer- tification as a classroom teacher. “I hope to teach history, social studies, English, and American literature to junior high or high school students,” he added. Earlier this year, the Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education and Ho-Ho-Kus Council approved the shared services agree- ment that allowed Leonard to become the school resource officer. The officer’s salary will be shared by the board and the council, and he will return to his police duties when the academic year ends in June 2014. Leonard is already a familiar face at the school, where he is involved in the annual Junior Police Academy. In addition to school security, Leonard will be respon- sible for establishing and maintaining a professional rela- tionship with school officials and assisting school officials with preventing and investigating school truancies. He will also be responsible for crime prevention, and for investigat- ing criminal acts that occur on school property. He will work in concert with the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department Juvenile Bureau and the Bergen County Pros- ecutor’s Office regarding bias incidents, abuse, assault, and any other serious offense that affects the student body. He will also serve on various committees, and will work to ensure that students and parents are directed to the proper social service agencies, when needed. Leonard will be an employee of the borough and subject to police department rules and regulations. According to the shared services agreement, the borough is not obligated to provide a substitute for Leonard, should he become unable to work. The board is not responsible for his overtime pay. Leonard grew up in Ridgewood and graduated from Ridgewood High School. He holds an associate degree in law enforcement from Champlain College, and a bachelor’s degree in police science and a master’s degree in public administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He became a police officer in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1989, and became a sergeant there in 1999. He joined the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department in 2001. J. CRUSCO