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By ANDREW MARTIN
WOOD RIVER JCT. – Although there is no definitive reason, the two weeks before spring break account for a surge in student arrests at the Chariho Regional High School and Reaching Youth through Support and Education, better known as the RYSE School.
Police reports show that there were seven arrests at the two schools from April 3 to 11. Richmond Police Chief Robert Driscoll said the spike seems to be the norm. “If you watch for it, you’ll see it. The students seem to get a little overzealous and some end up here,” he said.
“I call it the pre-vacation jitters. They [the arrests] always jump up during that week,” Driscoll added. He noted that no students were arrested during the week after vacation.
As for the number of arrests compared to last year, Driscoll said he did not notice an increase. Having an officer, also known as a student resources officer (SRO), on the grounds makes a difference, he added. “It makes [the campus] a safe haven for the students,” Driscoll said.
There will be a new SRO on campus, to replace former SRO Jeff Vaughn. The new, still unnamed officer, will be taking part in a meet-and-greet on Thursday, May 8 at 2 p.m. at the high school. The School Committee plans to vote on the new officer’s agreement at the May 13 meeting.
The types of crimes also fall into the same categories as the previous years, according to the police.
For example, on April 9, there were two separate arrests made at the high school. The first involved a 16-year-old male from Hopkinton who was charged with disorderly conduct. He was alleged to have pushed a 14-year-old male in the hallway during a dispute over money.
Similarly, on April 9 a 16-year-old male from Richmond was released to his parents and referred to Family Court on a charge of disorderly conduct. This student was alleged to have swore and spit at a teacher in a hallway.
The other arrests include possession of a knife, two incidents of drug possession and two disorderly conduct charges involving RYSE students.
Supt. Barry J. Ricci recognized the increase in arrests before the spring vacation as well, though he did not know of a specific reason for it. Overall, he said, the number of arrests throughout the year is down from 2006-2007, when there were 40 or so arrests. Currently, there have been about 27 arrests over the past school year, Ricci said.
The superintendent said he and the administration try to keep a positive climate at the school through various programs as well as remaining visible in the hallways. “But sometimes the kids make poor decisions and they have to be held accountable for them,” Ricci said. “I’m not sure what we could do differently to stop someone from bringing something illegal to school, for example.”
Before the pre-spring break spike, there were six arrests since Jan. 17, 2008. One of the crimes took place on Jan. 18, when a 16-year-old female RYSE student was arrested and charged with simple assault. She was alleged to have hit a RYSE School assistant teacher in the face.
A similar arrest occurred two months later on March 17, when a 15-year-old female RYSE student from Hopkinton was charged with assault and battery. Police said she grabbed a 15-year-old female high school student by her hair and threw her into her locker. The high school student was then pushed and thrown to the ground. The victim told police that the RYSE student had followed her to her locker after she arrived at school.
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