SRO to retire on disability

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SRO to retire on disability

Hampton Union - Exeter,NH

By Cronin

pcronin@...

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/hampton/06132006/news/107641.htm

HAMPTON —- Officer Tom Linane, who was the school resource officer

at Hampton Academy, will be retiring from the Hampton Police

Department on disability.

The 18-year veteran has been on sick leave since 2005 after he was

exposed to toxic mold that was growing in his office at the school.

" It's been a tough 18 months, " Linane said. " I'm doing a lot better

than I was. I have great doctors that are taking care of me and I'm

doing OK. "

Town Manager Barrington confirmed Linane's request to retire

on disability was approved by the state.

Linane said he didn't want to comment on the injuries he suffered

but it was related to the mold that was found in his office at the

school.

In 2004, Linane and other employees began complaining about being

sick and began to think the root of their illnesses might have to do

with the building where he works.

Those concerns prompted school officials to hire Desmarais

Environmental Inc., to conduct an indoor air quality test on the

school after Linane was placed on medical leave.

The company's report confirmed the employee suspicions after they

identified three areas of concern: temperature, carbon dioxide

levels and molds that have since been taken care of by the School

Department.

While the mold was mostly found in two unoccupied areas in the

building, two types of mold, aspergillus versicolor and

stachybotrys, were identified in Linane's office.

Stachybotrys can produce toxins that can be responsible for cold and

flu symptoms and tremors.

Aspergillus versicolor can produce toxins that can cause diarrhea

and upset stomach, eye, nose and throat irritation, respiratory

irritation, headaches and fatigue.

According to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, prolonged

exposure to both molds can cause chronic fatigue, loss of balance,

irritability, memory loss and difficulty speaking.

" If it took me getting sick, to clean up that building for the kids,

then I'm OK with it, " Linane said.

Linane was a patrol officer when he was appointed as the first

school resource officer at Hampton Academy in 1999.

" It was a tough change, " Linane said. " It was a completely different

ball game because you had to build relationships with the students

and gain their trust. You had to get out of the mentality of working

the street and moving onto the next incident. "

And while it was a change, it was a job that he grew to love and

excel at.

Hampton Police Sullivan said Linane had a tremendous impact on

the students.

" He just had an amazing connection with the kids, " Sullivan

said. " There was a number of instances where parents or students

would come up to me and tell me just what an outstanding job he was

doing. His connection with the kids went far beyond police work and

is what the SRO program is all about. "

Linane said one of the secrets to his success with the kids was that

he made himself always available.

" I gave out my cell phone number and was available 24 hours a day, "

Linane said. " I never turned down a kid who needed help. "

The job also taught him a lot about talking with his own children.

" To be honest with you, I learned more from the kids than they did

from me, " Linane said. " It was a great experience and I made a lot

of friendships along the way. "

Linane said the only positive thing to come out of what happened to

him is he learned how fragile life is.