Preparedness is Key in School Safety, Police, School Officials Say

When it comes to handling a school emergency situation, preparedness is key, according to local law enforcement and school officials who tackled the pressing issue of school safety in front of an audience of about 200 parents Wednesday at Paramus High School.

The New Jersey School Board Association hosted the forum, which featured Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli and other local police and school officials from across the county. The event gave parents an opportunity to hear from officials about what measures local districts are taking to increase school safety, an issue that has come to the forefront since the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Molinelli told the audience that every law enforcement officer in the county is trained to handle these types of active shooter situations. While the recent tragedy has caused many districts to reassess their security plans, training for such a situation has been ongoing for some time and did not begin with Newtown.

He gave credit to teachers, who regularly receive school lockdown training and are asked to do more nowadays than just teach students.

Presenters at Wednesday's event screened a video created for school personnel about the measures taken during a lockdown emergency. In it, the audience was shown the vital role that both teachers and students play in a lockdown situation.

While every district and police department deals with different issues and has different needs, the leaders present agreed that preparedness, prevention and communication between school staffers and their students was key. 

Students should feel comfortable reporting suspicious activity to teachers and administrators, not worried about being labeled a snitch, the officials reiterated.

Panelists shared their views on manning schools with police officers or retired officers who can carry firearms. Many pointed to manpower issues that prevent police departments from being able to provide a school resource officer.

Kugler said Saddle Brook had a SRO in the high school for 10 years, but had to cut the position as manpower has dwindled in recent years.

In Paramus and Westwood, police officers periodically stop in the schools throughout the day when time allows to interact with staff and students in an effort to maintain an open dialogue regarding anything they should be aware of.

In the coming weeks, Fair Lawn police are also planning to implement a program that stresses police interaction and visibility in schools, Capt. Bob Kneer has said.

For parents who'd like to learn more, school safety information is accessible via the web at www.njsba.org/schoolsecurity.

--

Follow Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook Patch on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to receive our daily newsletter in your inbox each morning