New SRO is building relationships, keeping an eye on safety

High fives, fist bumps and handshakes are how Officer Chris Bujarski begins his day. As the new School Resource Officer in the Elmsford Union Free School District, his job, he said, is to build relationships with students and staff and keep an eye on school safety

“Officer Chris,” is the new SRO who spent the first week of school visiting each building in the district and getting to know the students there.

“Everyone has been very welcoming,” he said one morning in the hallways at Alexander Hamilton High School. “It’s a nice change of pace.”

Installing an SRO program in the district was discussed at a board of education meeting in February when the board considered bringing the program back to the schools.

“This is not for school enforcement but rather in the capacity of a positive role model for our children, to create a nurturing, and most importantly, a safe school environment for them,” Elmsford Chief of Police Thomas Proscia said at the time.

“The SRO is a friendly face in our district that will provide steady interaction, both emotionally and physically,” he continued, adding that an SRO also serves as a deterrent. 

Officer Bujarski continued a family tradition following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a police officer in White Plains and his father, who worked as an officer in Cold Spring.

He began his career with the New York City Police Department, often working a train station beat where he regularly met commuters, including many students on their way to and from school.

“It was a lot better than a cubicle job,” he laughed, referring to his work as a bank teller. “I’d rather be out making my own way.”

He was encouraged to work with the public by his former sergeant.

“Here we are and I’m loving it,” Officer Bojarski, whose been with the Elmsford Police Department for six years, said.

Since school opened on Sept. 3, he’s been greeting students at each school as they arrive and is trying to learn the names of students and staff. He said it might take him some time, but he’ll get there.

He’s already to the point of making small talk with students at the high school, with many giving him a wave or fist bump on their way to and from classes.

His role in the school was recently highlighted during the tragic events that took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., where a 14-year-old student killed four people and injured nine others and was allegedly stopped by the school’s two SROs on duty that day.

“I am happy someone was there,” Officer Bujarski said of his fellow SRO’s. “But I’m not happy they had to do that.”

“I hope we never have it here, but if it does happen, I hope I am in the right place,” he said.

“We are pleased to have Officer Bujarski in our schools to serve as a role model, help students who may need another adult’s assistance and to offer a level of security in our buildings,” Board President David Hecht said. “In light of the recent tragic events at Apalachee High School in Georgia, where two SROs stopped a gunman from doing more harm, having someone on site trained to respond is critical in keeping our schools safe.”

While safety is paramount to his role, Officer Bujarski said developing relationships with students is the most important part of his job.

“I hope I can speak with kids and become part of their family here, I am a reliable resource for them to use,” he said.

With less than a week of school under his belt, Officer Bujarski has already been asked to speak to a law class and if he’d be willing to give students a tour of the police station, to which he readily agreed.

“The students have been great,” he said, adding that he received a very warm welcome from the junior and seniors at AHHS during the first day of school.