BUCKLAND — A 10-week investigation into a relationship between a school resource officer/teacher and an 18-year-old student at Mohawk Trail Regional School by the Berkshire County district attorney’s office has determined the officer and student “were involved in a relationship beyond that of a teacher/student,” but that there was no criminal violation.

In January, school administrators received a report alleging an inappropriate relationship between Shelburne Police Detective Tucker Jenkins and a student, and filed a 51A report with the Department of Children and Families. The case was referred to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, but due to a conflict of interest, the case was passed on to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office.

Jenkins, 28, served as Mohawk Trail’s school resource officer and co-taught a forensic science class up until January 2025 when the school began looking into the matter.

The DA’s probe included a review of an earlier Shelburne Police investigation of the case, school records, and additional questioning of the student and her classmates, all with parental consent, as well as a review of cellphone records between the student and Jenkins, obtained through subpoenas as both parties declined to provide them to police.

Jenkins, through legal counsel, declined to be interviewed by State Police detectives assigned to the Berkshire DA’s office. Both the student and Jenkins denied they were engaged in a sexual relationship when questioned during the investigation by Shelburne Police Chief Gregory Bardwell, and the student denied any sexual contact with Jenkins when questioned as part of the DA’s investigation.

Jenkins did not respond to requests for comment.

The DA’s office found that between Jan. 6 and Jan. 30, there were 25 phone calls between the student and officer with the cumulative duration of the calls being about 67 minutes, according to the Berkshire DA’s review. The office was unable to review text messages between the two, as the student and the officer had both deleted their texts.

According to the DA’s office, the student reported that she deleted the text conversations she had with Jenkins when she learned the school district would be questioning her about Jenkins. Jenkins told Bardwell during his investigation that he routinely deleted his text messages.

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The DA’s office found upon review of all evidence that the student was seen sitting in Jenkins’ personal vehicle, and that the student reported to fellow students that she had been “hanging out” in his personal vehicle during non-school hours and for non-school purposes. She had also been in his police vehicle.

“Because there is no statute in Massachusetts that proscribes or prohibits a dating relationship or sexual contact between a student who has reached the age of consent (16 years of age) and an individual in a teaching or supervisory role (to include sexual acts which were committed while on duty), this investigation determined that there is no violation of criminal law,” Berkshire Assistant District Attorney Rachael Eramo wrote in a letter to the Shelburne Police Department, the Northwestern DA’s office and the Mohawk Trail Regional School District.

Eramo stated that the matter “now rests with the Shelburne Police Department and the leadership of the MTRSD to follow through on any administrative or other matters as they see fit.”

Earlier this year, in response to a parent filing a public records request for information about the case after his daughter heard a rumor about a relationship between the officer and a classmate, Bardwell said the report was just “a rumor that spiraled out of control.”

Bardwell said allegations came from students who heard what other classmates thought happened. What was reported to school administrators was an inappropriate sexual relationship. According to Bardwell, there was no sexual relationship, and the officer and the student are family friends. Bardwell said the calls between the two entailed discussions of how the officer could assist the student in finding an internship in a forensic science role.

The Shelburne Police Department does not plan to take further action or speak further on the matter, the police chief said Monday.

Mohawk Trail Superintendent Sheryl Stanton wrote to the district’s parents and families on Monday, alerting them to the investigation’s results and the district’s next steps.

“I am disheartened to share that the result of the investigation revealed that inappropriate conduct did occur,” Stanton wrote. “While not criminal, the relationship falls well outside the district’s expectation for professional conduct. As a result, we will be working to find a new SRO for MTRSD.”

Stanton said in response to this investigation and last week’s news of a civil case being brought against the district’s former ski coach accused of sexually assaulting a student, the district has partnered with Enough Abuse, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse, to review the district’s policies and implement training for staff. The district will also work with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin to develop curriculum for students on appropriate behaviors and reporting.

District personnel policies state that under no circumstances is it appropriate for a staff member or volunteer to have a romantic or sexual relationship with a student.

Stanton said it will take a community-wide effort to rebuild trust.

“Not only have they broken the trust of our community, but they have also interfered with the learning and growth of our students. It will take community and courage for us to acknowledge our collective responsibility to stop these incidents for occurring,” Stanton wrote. “We need to state loudly and clearly, any adult relationship beyond a teaching or coaching one with a student is inappropriate. No matter the age of the student and the laws around consent, it is NEVER appropriate for an adult member of the MTRSD and HRSD staffs to engage in a relationship beyond teacher/coach and student. EVER. PERIOD.”

In an email response to a parent who expressed concerns with how the case was handled, Stanton said she understood if community members disagreed with when and how information was shared with families, but the district has followed its protocol for reporting and investigating alleged misconduct.

Stanton said district administration plans to have a meeting on Thursday to outline steps the district will take in response to the investigation report.

Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the age of Tucker Jenkins. He is 28.