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Should every NJ district assign a police officer to each of its schools?
- Definitely
- No way
The city's government, police department, and school district agreed to put an officer in each K-8 school and two officers in Atlantic City High School throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the city said in a news release. The new officers were funded through a $3.75 million grant in the COPS Hiring Program.
The school resource officers were assigned to their new schools on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
"This is something city leaders discussed in the past, but none were able to get the job done until now," said Mayor Marty Small Sr. "This took a lot of hard work from many different individuals, and the addition of our school resource officers will allow our police officers to protect our children and school staff like never before."
All 12 officers volunteered for the school resource officer roles overseen by the Atlantic City Police Department.
"The Atlantic City Public School District has always prioritized safety," said schools superintendent Dr. La’Quetta Small. "However, through this partnership, we are able to further improve school safety and security by providing full-time police officers in each school. It is our expectation that the police officers foster positive relationships with students, staff, parents and the community."
The city swore in 30 new officers in March as part of a larger $9 million in police upgrades.
"Having officers in every school is one of the most important steps we can take to ensure the safety of our students and school staff," said police Chief James Sarkos. "With their presence, our officers not only help prevent potential threats but also act as positive role models, mentors, and valuable resources for students in need."
Sgt. Timothy Smith, a former juvenile detective, will supervise the school resource officer unit.
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