GLOVERSVILLE — A registered sex offender was taken into custody on the grounds of McNab Elementary School on Thursday morning by a school resource officer who suffered a broken hand during an altercation that broke out as the man attempted to flee the area on foot.
Mark J. Aldi II, 32, of Gloversville, was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and third-degree criminal trespass by city police on Thursday at 8 a.m., according to a police press release.
The Gloversville Police Department school resource officer assigned to the Gloversville Enlarged School District was on patrol at McNab Elementary School on Thursday when he encountered Aldi, a man the officer knew was prohibited from being on school grounds.
Being on school grounds was a violation of Aldi’s probation conditions based on his status as a registered sex offender. Aldi had also previously been provided with a letter of trespass from the school district.
The school resource officer approached Aldi and ordered the man to leave the premises. When Aldi refused to comply, the officer advised the man that he was under arrest.
Police say Aldi then attempted to flee the area on foot, but the school resource officer was able to apprehend the man and a short altercation between the pair occurred during which the officer’s hand was broken.
Aldi was transported to the station where he was processed and arraigned in City Court by Judge Traci DiMezza. Aldi was remanded to Fulton County Correctional Facility on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond.
The school resource officer was transported to Nathan Littauer Hospital where he was evaluated and later released.
GESD Superintendent David Halloran issued a letter to parents following the incident.
“Throughout this brief incident, the district took appropriate care of the safety of students by our staff,” Halloran wrote. “The safety of district students and staff is our utmost priority and we commend the Gloversville Police Department and BOCES staff for its prompt and professional response to this incident.”
GESD Director of Secondary Instruction and Curriculum James Wager provided additional details Thursday afternoon, saying the incident occurred at the beginning of the school day during arrivals and shuttle bus pickups when district and Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery Board of Cooperative Educational Services staff were present with students, along with the school resource officer.
“As the situation unfolded students that were going to get off the bus were held on the bus and students waiting to be picked up were moved away quickly,” Wager said. “There was never any direct threats made to the building or the students.”
Wager said the school was not placed on lockdown during the incident.
Wager said that district safety policies and procedures are continually reviewed throughout the year and will be reviewed in coordination with police in light of Thursday’s incident
“We will conduct a complete review with the staff on hand in conjunction with the school resource officer who was present,” Wager said. “We will get a full police report and have that discussion with the Gloversville Police Department so we can be thorough and make sure that any adjustments that need to be made are made.”
Wager said Halloran, who was unavailable Thursday afternoon, has been in contact with Police Chief Marc Porter to ensure that an officer is assigned to the district while the school resource officer recovers from his injuries.
“Our relationship with the Gloversville Police Department has been phenomenal,” Wager said. “The district and the Gloversville Police Department have worked closely together to get the school resource officer and to make sure in the interim that we have one.”
Wager went on to recognize district, HFM BOCES and police staff for putting the interests and safety of students first during the incident.
“I think every staff member and officer did an exceptional job keeping the kids safe and handling the individual in the most appropriate fashion,” Wager said.
