During an active community participation portion of Wednesday's School Committee meeting, residents voiced their dismay with the removal of school resource officer Karl Baptiste.

The position served every public school in Wareham, and provided crime prevention and security services to the schools.

There was some confusion by residents that the School Committee had some role in the removal of the position. It did not. The cut was made by the Wareham Police Department, which funds the position.

“When the position was cut, we were surprised, too,” said School Committee Chair Rhonda Veugen.

Veugen said the School Committee was not consulted before the decision was made. Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood said she was aware of the cut.

“After a decision was made,” resident Laureen Decas asked.

“They shared the information with me,” Shaver-Hood replied.

“Before,” a voice from the audience asked. More unrest came from the audience.

While the position will most likely not be funded this year, there is a possibility that the school could fund the position next year, officials said.

“I hope that you can put your faith in the superintendent,” Veugen said.

“I do, but my concern is that she’s not licensed to carry or that she can carry here or that she is going to do anything if there is an active shooter in our school,” replied.

“This position is one piece of a larger safety system,” Veugen countered.

“If our children can not feel safe in their educational environment, then there’s no need to educate,” resident Ron Robinson said. “If they can’t feel safe in their environment, then they can’t learn.”

After a lengthy speech, Robinson received a large applause.

Residents said they did understand that the town is facing tough financial times.

“We understand that the cutting of this SRO position is the beginning of bad, bad times and we all have to come together,” Decas said.

“I request that the Superintendent continue to be involved with Acting Chief Walsh and Derek Sullivan because every day that goes by without a school resource officer is not a good situation,” member Ken Fontes said. “Right now, the thing is, ‘dial 911.’ If I was a parent and I was considering moving to Wareham, if I google Wareham and every time I see that police dispatch to the school, why would I want to move here? I want this to be a priority.”

“Everyone is in agreement that we need it, but it seems like we can’t do anything about it,” member Michael Flaherty said. “We have to do something about it.”

Robinson suggested splitting the costs between the police and schools departments.

Below is a video from a 2013 Finance Committee meeting where Wareham Police Department Retiring Chief Richard Stanley and Interim Chief Kevin Walsh talk about the position.