District to Hire Retired Officers for School Security
“Nothing is more sacred to us than the safety of our students and staff,” Superintendent of Schools Danny A. Robertozzi said.
- By Jessica Davis
- November 08, 2018
Linden Public Schools in New Jersey plans to hire retired law enforcement officers to provide security at the high school academy, the two middle schools and its largest elementary school.
The plan comes as part of a shared services agreement between the Board of Education and City Council, adopted last month to establish a Special Law Enforcement Officer Class III program for security on the district’s largest campuses. The Linden Board of Education had been discussing the possible hiring of retired officers for security since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting earlier this year.
“Nothing is more sacred to us than the safety of our students and staff,” Superintendent of Schools Danny A. Robertozzi said. “We have come a long way in increasing the security of our schools, including upgraded security cameras, new procedures for visitors, and security vestibules. We have an outstanding relationship with the Linden Police Department and City of Linden, so this is the natural next step in making sure our schools offer a safe and welcoming learning environment.”
According to Robertozzi, the four new officers would be stationed at the high school’s Academy of Science and Technology, Soehl and McManus middle schools and School No. 2, the Linden Public Schools’ largest elementary school. There is already a full-time school resource officer in place at Linden High School via the Linden Police Department’s Juvenile Bureau.
The new officers are scheduled to be in place by Jan. 1, and positions are open only to retired law enforcement officers under the age of 65. Preference may be given to those who have previously completed school resource officer training, and all other hires will be required to complete SRO training upon appointment.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.