Oakdale kids cross F Street well-guarded
Oakdale kids cross F Street well-guarded
OAKDALE — The school crossing guards on F Street may be the only ones in the state who carry guns.
That's because they are police officers.
For an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon during school days, three patrol officers help children cross busy F Street, also known as Highway 108-120, at three intersections.
Officers have been working as crossing guards after the Police Department laid off its last three part-time civilian crossing guards as part of budget cuts because of the recession. The department cut 15 percent — or $700,000 — from its current budget, which started July 1.
The cuts were deep but spared laying off any of the department's 26 sworn officers.
City Manager Steve Hallam said as part of the proposal to eliminate the crossing guards, the Oakdale Police Officers Association said it would find volunteers through the PTA to work as crossing guards, or officers would perform the task.
"We had a total of three parents volunteer," Hallam said, adding officials soon realized they would need 25 to 30 volunteers to make the program work. "We did not anticipate that the officers would be the ones who would be doing this nor did the OPOA."
So when classes resumed in August, officers started helping children cross F Street at Johnson, Mann and Lee avenues.
"We've taken some razzing for this from some of the other local (law enforcement) agencies," said OPOA President Joe Parreira. But he added Oakdale officers were willing to do what they had to do protect their jobs and protect residents during tough budget times.
Hallam and Police Chief Marty West said some residents have complained that crossing guard duty is not the best use of officers' time and training, but the two added that the response has been mostly positive.
"It's not hard duty, that's for sure," said Cpl. Joe Johnson, the OPOA secretary. "Some days you cross three kids. But it's a matter of, 'Could we do something better with our time?' "
West and Hallam said having officers work as crossing guards has not jeopardized public safety.
"There were no major problems," Parreira said, "but the potential was there."
The Police Department has more officers assigned to patrol because of a reorganization that accompanied the budget cuts.
There are four officers and a watch commander assigned to patrol all day, up from three officers and the watch commander. West added that he and the department's two lieutenants have even worked as crossing guards when needed.
The City Council has charged the Police Department with providing crossing guards on F Street since the mid-1990s after a schoolgirl was hit by a car.
There had been no crossing guards on F Street before the accident.
But the officers' days of holding up stop signs in crosswalks may be ending. Hallam said the city and Oakdale Joint Unified School District have a deal in which they would split evenly the $22,000 annual cost of using part-time city recreation workers as crossing guards.
Hallam said the school board has approved the deal. The proposal is on the City Council's agenda for tonight's meeting.
Parreira said Sunday that the OPOA has accepted the proposal and its members will be briefed on it this week.
The proposal calls for the recreation workers to take up crossing guard duty in January after students return from winter break.
"In the long term, I do not believe it is in the public's best interest to have our officers as crossing guards," Hallam said. "Does it have some positive PR? Absolutely. But I want our officers to do what they are trained to do."
- Posted on November 16, 2009
Animals
Art
Your stories
This is crazy. I understand that they are good protection for the kids and all, but this just isn't a bright idea. Where are the people who are unemployed because they got layed off? I'm sure they have plenty of time on their hands. I think that police officers should do what they became police for. The world can NOT run out of police officers. Plus, even though i'm sure it's safer for a Police Officer to cross them, why in the world don't they just put one of those systems in where if the lights are blinking, the cars stop? Even though idiots who don't pay attention are on the road, I'm sure it's better than nothing? Also, parents in the school community could volunteer. I'm sure they could rotate the days and such. I believe that Police Officers need to be more focused on helping the streets be safe, and people who can volunteer should do this. It's more logical, and frankly, it's just better for everyone. Nobody wants to hear angry parents bicker about how the Police Officer "could shoot my kid.". I honestly doubt they would even have their guns off saftey while they are out there, none the less pull the gun out of the holster? I don't know. I think if the parents are complaining so much, then maybe they should volunteer.
That would be exciting to walk to school or from school to see a police officer helping kids cross the road. I bet people feel very safe crossing the street know that some is watching them. I wish there was a police officer helping kids cross the street in every town so there would be less kids getting ran over.
Police should be the only people with guns. Guns are dangerous and only people with experience should have one. I think its nice that someone is helping with our community. Its a good idea for adults to help kids walk the street safely. In my opinion it is great for people to help kids with homework and projects.People should help our community more often. That police officer should be proud of what he is doing. Police are trained to help kids and adults in danger. There should be more police officers at the cross walk. Thats what I think should happen.
I think this should happen because they have crossing guards. But I don't think that they should be policeman because they carry dangerous weapons that can hurt kids and adults, even if it was just an accident. There are more important things that a police officer should be doing instead of walking them across the street. You can hire one of the teachers to do it or have them take turns for a couple of weeks instead of an officer. Even there parents can help them cross, parents should not be to busy to help there little child just cross a street. I know it's a busy road but it will take two minutes out of the parents to just help their child. Crossing guards should only be at elementary schools because at junior highs and high schools, kids should be mature enough to cross it by themselves. On the other hand, police officers around school can be good because if there is a threat around the school that they can react fast enough so no one gets hurt. But I do not think that officers would bring out a weapon around kids but they can call for backup really quick. Those are my opinions of what I think policeman as crossing guards at a school are. :)
i think that its great to have police officer as your crossing guard because i think that kids will be safer for kids to have a police officer and besides that is a really dangerous and a busy street.
well i think that if officers have to go out there and do extra patrol and get the job done right then they need to because we need to keep are kids safe.
WOW! Thats a crazy idea, to have a police man to have as a crossing guard. Like the article said, policeman should do what they are trained to do. They are trained to protect citizens, just not in that particular way, if they are crossing guards, why do they need their gun on them? Normal crossing guards don't have guns on them. But shouldn't the school provide yard duties to help children cross the streets. At La Rosa Elementary the have someone that walks kids across the street with a stop sign, on a four way stop. Policeman shouldn't be doing that. Its a good idea to have someone there to help the kids, just not a policeman. More people should volunteer for that. Aren't they worried about their children's safety? But on the other hand its a little bit safer. I bet the Police officers really don't like to do that. They would rather be doing something else, but they are helping the community.
WOW! Thats a crazy idea, to have a police man to have as a crossing guard. Like the article said, policeman should do what they are trained to do. They are trained to protect citizens, just not in that particular way, if they are crossing guards, why do they need their gun on them? Normal crossing guards don't have guns on them. But shouldn't the school provide yard duties to help children cross the streets. At La Rosa Elementary the have someone that walks kids across the street with a stop sign, on a four way stop. Policeman shouldn't be doing that. Its a good idea to have someone there to help the kids, just not a policeman. More people should volunteer for that. Aren't they worried about their children's safety? But on the other hand its a little bit safer. I bet the Police officers really don't like to do that. They would rather be doing something else, but they are helping the community.
Haha Dangg! I would hate to do something bad cause the crossing guard might shoot me.I would show him the most respect. Well nobody should be be disrespecting a crossing guard anyways because they out there in the heat walkin kids across the street.
Yeah that's true. I've been to that school before because my sister was a person who goes and helps little kids with their homework and assingments. In my opinion this is a great idea to have kids walk across the street safely to their parents. Also one more thing my sister and I were pulled over by that same officer for speeding. Also again this is a great idea.