OGDENSBURG — It has been a full first year since we welcomed three new school resource officers into our school district for the purpose of providing the best safety and security to our students in all three schools. Over the course of the 2023-24 school year, students have begun to welcome and appreciate the work that the officers perform - creating friendships as a result.
“We are extremely fortunate to have been able to build a strong partnership between the City of Ogdensburg, the Ogdensburg Police Department, and our school district with the goal at keeping our students and staff safe as well as our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Kevin Kendall. “In a short time, they have already become active members of our community. They are in classrooms all the time with students, they converse with students in the hall, and they are essentially part of the school family.”
In this three-part story series, you have got to know each of the new School Resource Officers, their triumphs, and hardships throughout their first year in the district. In this final release out of three, meet kind-hearted Patrolman Daniel Hollister!
Patrolman Daniel Hollister
“We are very fortunate at Madill to have Officer Hollister as our SRO. He isn't afraid to interact with students in all grade levels for various reasons,” Madill PK-6 Principal Amy DiSalvo said. “Officer Hollister is generally at the front door greeting students as they come into school. He can also be found in the cafeteria during lunches and walking the halls regularly. You may even see him working with small groups of students or one-on-one with a student. Our students have grown to trust him and many seek him out to chat, ask questions, or seek guidance. Officer Hollister has become a part of the Madill staff and family!”
Each day, Officer Hollister ensures staff and student safety at Madill by checking doors, walking the halls, reviewing security camera footage, and building relationships with those within the school community.
“I have really enjoyed working in an elementary school setting with kids from 4 to 13 years old. I enjoy seeing smiling faces everyday. When you are a police officer in Ogdensburg, it's not something that you see often,” Officer Hollister said. “It’s a great change of pace not having to be as serious or as stern. It’s great seeing kids smiling and being happy.”
Daniel thinks it’s important as a police officer to build positive relationships with kids who may not have had exposure or experience with law enforcement.
“I’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with many of the students. I have really enjoyed my time at Madill, and hope they have a positive takeaway from the SRO experience this school year,” Officer Hollister said. “My favorite part of the day is exchanging good mornings when the kids are arriving at school smiling. It’s a great way to start a day.”
“I had only been there for a few weeks at that point and it’s a different type of feeling when you’re shown that type of gratitude and appreciation,” Daniel said. “It’s great to come to work to see that the kids are happy, saying good morning, giving high fives - some kids even want hugs. It’s those things that we typically don’t get as police officers outside of the school.”