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Acton-Boxborough School Resource Officer Program

School Resource Officer (SRO) Program

The Acton Boxborough Regional School District has an agreement with the Acton Police Department to have School Resource Officers in our schools.  We are currently in discussions with the Boxborough Police Department about a similar agreement.

About the Program 

As part of our Agreement with the Acton Police, the police department provides two full-time officers in our schools.

A “school resource officer” is a duly sworn municipal police officer, or a special officer appointed by the chief of police, with all necessary training and up-to-date certificates, including special school resource officer certification as required by subsection (b) of section 3 of chapter 6E of the General Laws and is charged with:

(i) providing law enforcement; (ii) promoting school safety and security services to elementary and secondary public schools; and (iii) maintaining a positive school climate for all students, families, and staff.

Under state law, the SRO shall not (i) serve as school disciplinarian, enforcer of school regulations, or in place of licensed school psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors; or (ii) use police powers to address traditional school discipline issues, including non-violent disruptive behavior.

The principal or principal’s designee shall be responsible for student code of conduct violations and routine disciplinary violations. The SRO shall be responsible for investigating and responding to potential criminal or delinquent offenses as well as student conduct that requires immediate intervention to maintain safety.

Both the schools and police recognize that many acts of student conduct that may contain all the necessary elements of a criminal offense are best handled through the school’s disciplinary process.

You can read the full Memorandum of Understanding for detailed information about the SRO program and the relationship between the schools and the police.

A police officer smiles with two children in front of an ice cream truck.

A graduate in a blue gown poses with a police officer, both smiling.

Meet the SROs

  • Detective Anthony “AJ” Rotella has been serving as the School Resource Officer since 2022, working closely with students in grades 7-12. As a member of the Acton Police Department since 2016, AJ holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Southern New Hampshire University. He is proud to be an uncle to five nieces and nephews, and just a few months ago, he and his wife welcomed their first baby boy. In his role as SRO, AJ is dedicated to fostering positive relationships between youth and law enforcement, and he is honored to contribute to the safety and well-being of the school community.

  • Detective Ana Dapkas began her role as the School Resource Officer in 2024, focusing primarily on students in grades K-6. She also serves as the main contact for two collaborative schools in the district. With over a decade of experience at the Acton Police Department and more than five years working with the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Ana brings a wealth of knowledge to her position as well as being bilingual. Ana earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Sociology with a minor in Women’s Studies from the University of Massachusetts Boston. As a mother of three boys, she approaches her role with an extra dose of love and passion. Ana is eager to build strong connections with the youth in the community and looks forward to making a positive impact.

  • Officer Diosmar Reynoso was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States at the age of 13.  He has been a police officer for four years, starting in Ayer before coming to the Boxborough Police Department in 2023.  Officer Reynoso has a deep-rooted passion for helping others and making a meaningful difference in their lives.  He looks forward to building lasting relationships with the community while ensuring everyone feels safe and supported.

    Officer Reynoso earned his Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Mount Wachusett Community College.  He is bilingual (Spanish) and believes his language skills allow him to communicate with many residents in the community.  Bridging gaps and fostering trust between law enforcement and the public is of the utmost importance to Officer Reynoso.  He enjoys learning about different cultures and previously worked with youth at multiple summer programs before becoming an Officer.  He is a proud husband and his wife and him enjoy raising their young son.

  • Officer Zachary Stillman began working at the Boxborough Police Department upon graduating from the Lowell Police Academy in 2023.  He immediately expressed an interest in becoming a School Resource Officer as he has spent countless hours investing in his helping coordinate youth related camps and events.  He is eager to build relationships with both youth and young adults and to display a positive influence in their everyday lives.  Officer Stillman takes pride in his communication, conflict resolution, and community engagement skills.  He is passionate about fostering a safe and supportive school environment and promoting positive relationships between students and law enforcement.

    Officer Stillman started his education journey by earning his Associate’s Degree from Mount Wachusett Community College before transferring to Fitchburg State where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree, majoring in criminal justice.

  • Sgt. Philip Gath has been with the Boxborough Police Department since 2010 and was promoted to Sergeant in 2022.  He began his role as a School Resource Officer in 2014 working with students at Blanchard Memorial School.  Sgt. Gath hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.  Sgt. Gath looks forward to continuing positive community relations and assisting Officer Reynoso and Officer Stillman in their new role as School Resource Officers.

Situations Where SROs May Be Involved

The guiding principle for SRO involvement in a school incident is whether conduct rises to the level of criminal and delinquent conduct that..

  1. poses substantial harm to the physical well-being of another person
  2. is willful and malicious and causes substantial harm to the property of the school
  3. constitutes the taking of property of substantial value belonging to another with intent to permanently deprive the property owner of the property

Questions about SRO Involvement

If you have a question about the involvement of an SRO in an incident at your child's school, please speak with a building administrator.

  • It may be appropriate for school administrators rather than the SRO to deal with low-level offenses including but not limited to misdemeanor allegations of threats, assault and battery, larceny, receiving stolen property, and willful, malicious, or wanton destruction or injury to personal property. School staff shall not ask an SRO to serve as a school disciplinarian or enforcer of school regulations.

    If student conduct that requires immediate intervention to maintain safety (whether or not the conduct involves criminal conduct), the SRO may act to de-escalate the immediate situation (where feasible) and to protect the physical safety of members of the school community.

    School personnel may request the presence of the SRO when they have a reasonable and articulable fear of an imminent threat to their safety or the safety of students or other personnel.

  • SRO shall inform the principal or principal’s designee, where practicable, to facilitate supportive intervention by school staff on behalf of the student in an emergency situation where a student may be in immediate need of emergency medical or psychological assistance.  Intervention by an SRO is appropriate when a school nurse, psychologist, or social worker is not available, and. the SRO believes that failure to intervene would create a substantial likelihood of serious harm to the student, other students, school personnel or result in destruction to school property by reason of mental illness or psychological trauma.

How to Contact an SRO

Acton Elementary Schools, RJ Grey, ABRHS

Grades K-6: email Detective Ana Dapkas

Grades 7-12: email Detective AJ Rotella

SRO Supervisor: email Lieutenant Scott Krug

Blanchard Memorial School (Boxborough)

Grades K-6: email Officer Diosmar Reynoso

email Officer Zachary Stillman

SRO Supervisor: email Sgt. Phil Gath

If you need to speak with an SRO in a language other than English, please contact an administrator at your child's school and we can arrange for interpretation services.

Questions or concerns about the SRO Program?

You can ask questions, send feedback or share concerns about the SRO program by emailing sro_feedback@abschools.org. Emails sent to this email address are shared with police and school district Leadership.

Training for SROs

School Resource Officers are required to participate in a minimum of 20 hours of training each year. In accordance with section 23 of chapter 253 of the Acts of 2020, the Municipal Police Training Committee shall provide training for SROs including but not limited to:

  1. the ways in which legal standards regarding police interaction and arrest procedures differ for juveniles compared to adults;
  2. child and adolescent cognitive development, which shall include instruction on common child and adolescent behaviors, actions and reactions as well as the impact of trauma, mental illness, behavioral addictions such as gaming and gambling disorder, and developmental disabilities on child and adolescent development and behavior;
  3. engagement and de-escalation tactics that are specifically effective with youth; and
  4. strategies for resolving conflict and diverting youth in lieu of making an arrest

Such program shall also include training related to:

  1. hate crime identification and prevention training curriculum including acquisition of practical skills to prevent, respond to, and investigate hate crimes and hate incidents and their impact on victim communities;
  2. anti-bias, anti-racism and anti-harassment strategies;
  3. identification of youth at risk of or who are being commercially sexually exploited;
  4. bullying and cyberbullying; and
  5. helping school resource officers interact effectively with school personnel and victim communities and building public confidence with cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

Additional areas for continuing professional development may include:

  • Restorative justice practices
  • Cultural competency in religious practices, clothing preferences, identity, and other areas
  • Positive behavior interventions and supports
  • Training in proper policies, procedures, and techniques for the use of restraint
  • Teen dating violence and healthy teen relationships
  • Relationship building and positive youth development

Additional Information

Before adopting the most recent Memorandum of Understanding with the Acton Police, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee engaged in a substantial study of the SRO Program. You can read more about that process on the School Resource Officer Subcommittee Website.