Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

RED BANK: SCHOOL COPS ON AGENDA

red-bank-middle-school-081519-500x332-6476558The middle school, above, and primary school would each have a school resource officer onsite when in session, said Chief Darren McConnell. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Action that would put a police officer in Red Bank’s primary and middle schools is up for approval by the borough council Wednesday night.

Here ‘s the agenda at a glance:

• The council will consider adoption of a resolution authorizing a shared services agreement with the board of ed to put a school resource officer (SRO) into the primary and middle schools beginning with the new school year in September.

Under state Attorney General guidelines, SROs must be retired police officers who have completed a one-week training and certification program for the job, said Darren McConnell, who serves as both interim borough administrator and police chief.

The SROs work part-time, under the direction of the chief, McConnell said at the council’s  July 13 workshop session.

“Their primary purpose is to essentially harden the target of a school, especially in a critical incident, to respond immediately,” McConnell said. “And beyond that, just to have a presence in the school every day.”

McConnell said he and schools Superintendent Jared Rumage began discussing the program several years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to put the matter on hold.

Now, students and staff are back to regular attendance at schools, and “some recent events around the country have sparked this conversation,” he said. “So we both think it’s a good idea for the safety of the schools and the community aspect to it to having a police officer involved with the kids on a daily basis.”

He said the officers typically dress in khakis and polo shirts, and function not as “security guards towards the students and staff, but on their behalf.”

The SROs only have authority on school grounds, he said.

Under the agreement, one officer each would cover the primary and middle schools whenever they’re in session. That would mean hiring three part-timers, each of whom would work 120 days per year, he said.

McConnell said Red Bank Regional High has had an SRO provided by the Little Silver police department for “years, and obviously it’s worked out really well.”

Councilwoman Jacqueline Sturdivant sought assurance that the SROs would have training in “diversity, equity and inclusion, because a lot of these SROs have been targeting people with disabilities, and particularly, minorities.

“I just want to be sure they have that the person. you’re hiring is going. to have that type of responsibility, and understanding and fairness,” she said.

McConnell said the AG’s guidelines require diversity training as well as de-escalation training as part of the certification process.

Mayor Pasquale Menna asked for a five-year financial impact forecast of the program. McConnell said the cost was estimated at $90,000 to $108,000 per year, with the school district picking up half.

The police department has funds from a patrol position that went unfilled for three months, “so we have more than enough in our budget to cover the first four months,” McConnell said.

The Red Bank Charter School and St. James/Red Bank Catholic High School have not requested SROs, but if they asked, it would be up to the council to approve separate shared services agreements with them, McConnell said.

• The council may also authorize a request for proposals for a borough attorney.

Led by Councilman Ed Zipprich the council voted 4-2 July 13 to terminate attorney Greg Cannon, without explanation.

But when Zipprich moved to replace Cannon with Scott Salmon, Menna angrily refused, invoking his prerogative as mayor to make the appointment, leaving the council without legal guidance.

Here’s the full agenda. The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be both in-person and remote, via Zoom. Access and participation details can be found here.

If you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen, please become a paying member. Click here for details about our new, free newsletter and membership information.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
Partyline
RED TRUCKS AT RED ROCK
A small dishwasher fire at Red Rock Tap and Grill was put out quickly by firefighters overnight, causing minimal damage. Red Bank Fire Depar ...
CREATIVE COVER UP
The windows of Pearl Street Consignment on Monmouth Street were smashed when a driver crashed their car through them injuring an employee la ...
THEY’RE BACK!
Ospreys returned to the skies over Red Bank this week for the first time since they migrated to warmer climes in late fall. With temperature ...
SPRING IS SPRUNG
RED BANK: Spring 2024 arrives on the Greater Red Bank Green with the vernal equinox at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.
RED BANK’S FINEST – AND NEWEST
Red Bank Police Officer Eliot Ramos was sworn in as the force’s newest patrolman Thursday, and if you’re doing a double take thinkin ...
EASTER EGG MAYHEM AT THE PARK
An errant whistle spurred an unexpectedly early start to the Spring Egg Hunt on Sunday, which had been scheduled to begin at eggsactly 11am ...
PRESEASON DOCKWORK
RED BANK: With winter winding down, marina gets ready for boating season with some dockwork on our beautiful Navesink River.
CORNED BEEF AND DISCO FRIES?
It’s Friday, and smart Lent-observing Leprechauns know the pot of gold at the end of Red Bank’s rainbow is actually the deliciou ...
SURFBOARD DITCHED
It’s a violation of etiquette in surfing to ditch your board.  (it could hit another surfer and hurt them). But someone appears to ha ...
ELSIE, TAKE ME WITH YOU!
Soaked by pouring rain with the temperature hovering in the low 40’s, this sign in the window of Elsie’s Subs on Monmouth Street ...
WALK THIS WAY
PARTYLINE: Before-and-afters of a sidewalk cleanup on West Street.
SOGGY NOTION
RED BANK: Breezeway sculpture captured the mood downtown as heavy rains fell Saturday morning.
HOME DELIVERY
RED BANK: After a subdivision, an instant house rises on a new Catherine Street lot.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
For Black History Month, Red Bank's Community Engagement and Equity Advisory Committee has been running a series of local profiles on Facebo ...
HEARTY FAREWELL FOR HARDY
RED BANK: Council to honor DPU supervisor Rich Hardy, who retired recently after almost 39 years of keeping things running.
HOMEBOUND? READ ON…
RED BANK: Can't get to the public library? It's now offering free delivery and pickups for homebound borough residents.
TAMING A BEAST OF A WEEK
RED BANK: After the second snowfall of the week, a borough family finds the perfect use for it – a Godzilla snow sculpture.
RED BANK: LIBRARY CLOSED, BUT THE HILL’S OPEN
RED BANK: Though the library was closed by a snowstorm, kids got to enjoy the riverfront property's steep slope Tuesday.
LIGHT(HOUSE) MAKEOVER
This year, getting ready for spring means a midwinter makeover for Strollo's Lighthouse in Red Bank.
TODAY: LOCAL PUPPY COMPETES ON ANIMAL PLANET’S “PUPPY BOWL”
Red Bank’s very own rescue puppy, Biscuit, is set to compete in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl this Sunday, February 11, at 2 PM. Th ...