But it could happen here

WESTFALL — “Everyone thinks that it’s not going to happen, but it has happened all over,” said state police Supervisor of Criminal Investigations Paul Cavallaro. He was talking about the recent campus shootings at Virginia Tech which prompted Delaware Valley School authorities to seek advise from law enforcement last week. Board member, and safety committee chair Bob Goldsack invited Assistant District Attorney Ray Tonkin, Westfall Police Chief Mark Moglia and Cavallaro to the board’s May 10 meeting. School officials have often expressed concern about the difficulty in getting state police to respond to the campus. That issue has helped create a close working relationship between the school and nearby Westfall police. Cavallaro admitted there are difficulties in responding to more minor problems on the campus. “But if you have major incident, we drop everything.” He recalled a shooting on campus a decade ago. “In that situation, we can be here, from the barracks, (about 23 miles away) in 15 minutes,” he said. One suggestion is the “Cops in Schools” program. Cavallaro, who attended Delaware Valley, said he would not push the program, but spoke of the Resource Officer position as an excellent way for police to meet the kids in the halls and find out what’s happening. It’s necessary, he said, because “crime is running rampant.” New Yorkers moving into the area “are bringing their problems with them,” he said. Other than the campus shootings, he cited Gouldsboro training site used by recently arrested terrorists, who had planned an attack on Fort Dix. “We educate, you protect,” Goldsack said. He asked the officers to evaluate the campus for security issues. Superintendent Candis Finan suggested a symposium, with police, local officials and the public. In other business, the board tentatively approved a 2007-08 budget including a 2.93 percent tax increase, recognized student achievements in several academic competitions, received awards for technological achievement and recognition of the district’s Middle States accreditation; and announced a planned June 15 closing on a previously announced land purchase in Dingman Township.