Ramapo Police Increase Presence Over 'Stranger Danger' Concerns

AIRMONT, NY — Police are increasing their presence after parents expressed concerns about an incident at a school bus stop, triggering an investigation.

The Town of Ramapo Police Department says they received a report on Thursday from a concerned parent about an interaction that took place at a school bus stop in Airmont. The mother told police that a man, driving a white SUV, stopped at the bus stop and offered the woman's daughter a ride to school. The child declined the offer, and the man drove away.

After an investigation involving video footage, license plate reader data, DMV records, and other techniques, Ramapo detectives were able to identify the driver as a resident of Airmont.

During an interview, the man told police that due to the cold temperatures, he had offered the student a ride to school, something he said he has done in the area before. After discussing the incident with police, he agreed that this type of behavior could be viewed as concerning nowadays. A detective strongly advised the man to not offer this type of help under these circumstances in the future.

Police say the man's account of the incident matched up with the student's statement that a white SUV approached, and the driver asked if she needed a ride to school. She said "no," and the driver asked, "Are you sure?" She said "yes," and he drove away.

Ramapo detectives, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, confirmed that there were no previous reports of similar incidents involving the man. They added that there is no provision in NYS law that would have authorized them to make a probable cause arrest based on the specific facts and circumstances of this case.

On Friday, Ramapo police officers were at the bus stop, in addition to their DFR Unmanned Aerial System, which "serves as a force multiplier for public safety." Police say they will continue to patrol school bus stops as a routine police function.

"This incident may serve as a valuable opportunity for parents and guardians to speak to their children about school bus stop safety and 'stranger-danger' in general," police noted.