The Rye City School District has a new head of security. The district has made a large investment in upgrading security over the last several years, including locked double-door entrances, and new badging systems and procedures for entering the school.
Erik Green is the District’s new director of security, safety, and emergency preparedness. Green joins Rye following a 20-year career with the New York City Police Department, where he retired as a detective. John Hawkins had served in the role for the last five plus years.
“School security is most effective when it becomes part of the culture of the community,” Green said. “My goal is for the security staff to be a welcoming presence to our students and faculty.”
True safety is proactive and relies on open communication and strong community partnerships. The ultimate goal is to create a secure environment where learning can remain the primary focus.”
Green joins Rye following a 20-year career with the New York City Police Department, where he retired as a detective. During his tenure with the NYPD, he specialized in crowd control operations, active threat response and tactical training, with a focus on risk mitigation, threat assessment and maintaining the safety of the communities he served.
The District said in a statement that Green will focus on strengthening partnerships and operational coordination with the Rye City Police Department, Fire Department and EMS. His priorities also include ensuring standardized emergency drills and clear accountability systems across the district, as well as establishing consistent operational routines for security staff in each school.
Green is a father of three children, with one at each level of K-12 education, and his wife is a teacher. Outside of work, he enjoys mountain and gravel biking and attending his children’s sporting events.
