STAMFORD -- The police department is getting new technology to access information about students, but a civil liberties group called the effort worrisome.

If the grant is authorized by the Board of Representatives, it would allow the bureau to access the student directory to help find truants or others who may need assistance, said Sandy Dennies, the city's grants director.

"It's definitely something that will help them out because the police and the Board of Education have been working very closely together in the last couple of years," she said.

If a student has not come to school for a long time, police officers could use the directory to find their address, Dennies said. This would allow officers to make home visits to determine whether the student needs assistance, she said.

The computer money is part of a $26,000 grant, most of which will go toward purchasing digital recorders and closed-circuit cameras to improve security at Westhill High School, Dennies said.

"It seems to be a bit overreaching," he said. "I would also say that if there is a need to access information on a specific student who has violated the law or is truant, then requests for information should be made on a case-by-case basis. And I would think there also should be some proper information to parents if police are trying to access information on a student, especially if that child is a minor."

Students are able to opt out of student directories, Superintendent Joshua Starr said. Details of the program are being worked out but any privacy issues would be addressed, he said.

"We are still working with police to determine the appropriate flow of information to the police," Starr said. "They won't just have open access. We want to make sure the police have appropriate information in a timely fashion, but most importantly we need to make sure we're protecting the (students') right to privacy."

Calls to principals of Stamford and Westhill high schools were not returned yesterday. Assistant Police Chief John Geter, who heads the youth bureau, could not be reached yesterday. Police Chief Brent Larrabee did not return a call for comment.

When presenting the item to the Board of Finance last week, Larrabee said information would only be used by certain officers in the youth bureau who were trying to find particular students.

Anthony Fidaleo, an associate editor of The Westword, Westhill High School's student newspaper, said he had mixed feelings about police officers being able to readily access student data.

"For one thing it would be really good, especially if . . . students commit crimes or have disorderly conduct," he said. "But on the other hand if they get out of hand with getting information, I think that's kind of pushing it. Hopefully, it will be used for good."

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