School Resource Officer (SRO) Antoine Abinader works for Belmont Police and assumes the responsibility of all nineteen schools in Belmont, including NDB and Carlmont HS. Officer Abinader is responsible for dealing with any crimes that occur on school campuses and handling administration and their various needs. For example, he may fulfill the role of a chaperone for a dance or school event if a school happens to need one.
Additionally, Officer Abinader teaches the Belmont Police’s Safety Awareness For Everybody (SAFE) program, to fifth graders at the local elementary schools to educate them on the importance of protecting themselves from harm at a young age.
Officer Abinader typically starts his day at 5:30 a.m. and visits schools in Belmont to check in with the administrators to make sure everything is running smoothly and that they do not require his attention. He works Monday through Thursday to ensure that the schools have him as an outlet if there is a safety concern.
“Our school resource officer is our connection to Belmont PD,” said Associate Head of School Arlene Empleo. “They are here to help us with safety procedures on campus, making sure our students and our families are safe when they’re here.”
Over the past few years, Officer Abinader has attended events such as Aquacades, winter formal and more. He also stops by for lunch during the week, both to talk with the administration and to greet the student body with a warm smile.
“You guys are awesome,” said Officer Abinader. “You’re always excited to see me and the school spirit is definitely really high all the time.”
After being at NDB for the past few years, Officer Abinader has become a familiar face. Students look forward to his presence at school events and he reassures them that they feel protected on campus, whether that is in the classroom or eating lunch on the Father Downey Garden.
“It makes me feel safer seeing him around campus,” said senior Annette Henderson. “He is trained to protect us and has knowledge on what to do if certain situations happen that are dangerous for our school.”
There is no doubt that Officer Abinader is an integral part of the NDB community. His contribution and dedication make NDB both a safer and better place for students and staffulty every day.
