BAR HARBOR — A push is on to bring a police officer to the halls of Mount Desert Island High School.

The police department here is proposing an expansion of its school resource officer program to include the high school. Currently, Officer Tim Bland is assigned to the Conners-Emerson School. This is the second year of the program.

Conners-Emerson principal Barbara Neilly, Officer Bland and Police Chief Nate Young all voiced support for expanding the program at Tuesday’s town council meeting, citing the success of the venture.

“Tim has made incredible connections with students and families,” Ms. Neilly said. Officer Bland has developed a mutual respect with students, has fostered a positive image of law enforcement, and has given students a helpful resource that they can comfortably approach in a time of trouble, she said.

Officer Bland told councilors that his role is not one of a disciplinarian. Rather, he said, he alternates throughout any given day as a counselor, teacher’s helper and civil rights facilitator. He has chaperoned dances, facilitated drug and alcohol discussions, talked about bullying, and lent his expertise in a host of other subjects, he said.

Officer Bland said he has spent some time at the high school, taking part in senior exhibition evaluations, among other activities. He said he would like to spend more time there, and ideally would split his time between the two schools.

Councilors voted 7-0 to communicate to the school committee here that they are supportive of expanding the SRO program to the high school.

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