The plan would allow the school district to add two special Class III police officers
Cinnaminson Township officials are discussing hiring two armed officers who will exclusively patrol the town’s schools.
The proposal, a joint venture between the Board of Education and Township Committee, would utilize state legislation approved in 2016 that allows school districts to employ recently retired police officers to provide security in schools.
It’s an initiative that comes after a number of school shootings nationwide, most notably in Parkland, Fla., where a gunman killed 17 people in February.
“While the events of Parkland and Santa Fe may have slipped out of the media coverage, they are never far from the minds of educators,” Superintendent Stephen Cappello said in an email.
“Our commitment to increased safety and security is primarily in response to our core belief that this is the most fundamental thing we can provide for our students and families,” he added.
After receiving specialized training, the officers, known as Class III Special Law Enforcement Officers, would serve under the district’s existing school resource officer.
District and township officials are hoping to iron out the details of the plan in time for the start of the 2018–19 school year.
“Talks are going well,” Deputy Mayor Donald Brauckmann said during the June 18 Township Committee meeting. “There’s a lot involved.”
“It’s the hope that they’ll be in place this year,” he added. “We’re pushing for September, but it will probably within the fall if all goes well.”
Township Committee introduced an ordinance June 18 to amend the municipal code to include language relating to Class III officers.
The township and district would split the cost of the program, Cappello said. He did not elaborate on how much funding would be necessary for the initiative.
“Both the Board of Education and the Township Committee have made this a priority for our students,” he said. “Essentially, the two entities are sharing in the cost as equally as possible.”
To serve as a Class III officer, an individual must have previously served as a full-time police officer and retired within the last three years. The officer must also be under the age of 65 and pass a background check and a number of exams.
“Essentially, they are retired police officers within a certain period of time that can work for the school district and the township at an hourly rate without benefits,” Brauckmann said.
Cappello said the officers would work around the school calendar and bell schedule.
“These officers receive the same mandated SRO training as well as other training required by the Cinnaminson Township Police Department,” he added.
A statement released by the school district noted the proposal is in line with a recent move by Burlington County to establish a $20 million grant program aimed at improving the physical security of school buildings.
“With school safety being our utmost priority, this is a prudent strategy to benefit our school community,” Board of Education President Laura Fitzwater said in the statement.
