The Groton Police Department has axed a school resource officer after he was accused of sexually harassing students, a troubling development that has left the community reeling. Officer Omar Connor, previously stationed at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School and Lawrence Academy liaison, was terminated post an exhaustive probe into his alleged misdeeds, as confirmed by Police Chief Michael Luth.
Details of the investigation reveal distressing allegations, including Connor's improper proposition to a student, suggesting seedy rendezvous while his family was away, and his propensity for making sexual comments towards staff members, according to information obtained by NBC10 Boston; these revelations have shattered the image of a man once considered a fixture and confidante in the school corridors, the police department touted him as a role model in a Facebook post, and students even had a fond nickname for him, "Officer O."
The Groton Police Chief, in a statement released to Boston25 News, informed the public of Connor's firing and conveyed that the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission is currently reviewing the situation. Additionally, Connor's dismissal has found its way to arbitration, with a hearing earmarked for May, as Connor's legal team adamantly refutes the claims lodged against him.
The case has notably caused a stir among parents and faculty alike, with one parent, Patricia Ortiz, expressing her astonishment to NBC10 Boston over the allegations, proclaiming that Connor was "part of the community" and that students felt safe around him, never having heard "anything bad about him, ever." Despite requests for comments, Lawrence Academy has remained silent, and the Superintendent for Groton-Dunstable Regional School District brusquely directed NBC10 Boston to depart from their premises, emphasizing that "SROs work for the police department, not for us."
