HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 3 CROSSING GUARD 09-15-80DATE:
TO:
SEPTEMBER 9, 1980
REPORTS
! nter- Corn
MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM:. C. R. THAYER, CHIEF OF POLICE
SUB3ECT: CROSSING GUARD AT RED HILL AND OLWYN
BACKGROUND:
In November, 1979, a survey was conducted on each crossing guard position
and a count was made as to how many children were being crossed at those
particular locations. We found at the crossing of Red Hill and Olywn, we
were crossing approximately 9 to 13 children per day. This was the lowest
of crossings of our 14 City staffed crossing guard locations.
In June, 1980, we contacted a Mr. Newman, Principal of Red Hill Lutheran
School and informed him we were discontinuing the crossing guard position
at that location for the following reasons:
Small number of children.being crossed. The majority of the
children crossed were being dropped off in automobiles and
could be dropped off in the parking lot so that they needn't
be crossed at all.
2. Difficulty hiring a crossing guard to only work one hour in
the morning and then returning to work one hour in the afternoon.
The crossings only took approximately 15 to 20 minutes but we were
having to pay a guard at least a one hour minimum in the morning
and a one hour minimum in the afternoon.
When we didn't have a crossing guard, we had to use our police
officers to perform the duty, making this very costly plus
reducing our emergency response,.capabilities at a critical hour
of the morning.
During the first week in September, Mr. Newman was again contacted to remind
him that there would be no crossing guard at his location. Mr. Newman became
very upset and indicated that he felt we were being unfair and that we were
jeopardizing the lives of his students. We explained to him our position and
suggested that he could have a member of his staff cross the children as it
would only take 10 to 15 minutes each morning and each afternoon to perform
this function.
Continued on page two
Mayor, Council, City Administrator
September 9, 1980
Page two
On Friday, September 5, 1980, Mr. Newman contacted me and stated we had not
given him enough notice and he did not have time to make other arrangements.
I told him we would provide a crossing guard at his location for the first
morning of school, and only for the first morning of school and after that he
would be responsible for the children's crossing.
FINDING:
On 9-8-80, the first day of school, I had a member of my staff at the crossing.
She arrived at approximately 7:50 a.m. and departed at approximately 9:00 a.m.
A total of 10 children were assisted, three of which did not go to Red Hill
Lutheran School. Two children crossed at approximately 8:00 a.m. and the
remainder crossed at approximately 8:30 a.m. School starts at 8:45 a.m. and
no children crossed after 8:30 a.m.
Later that morning, a Mrs. Virginia Peters, President of the P.T.A. came
to the station and requested a stop sign and jacket, which we provided.
During the afternoon of 9-8-80, we received several calls from persons who
refused to identify themselves but said they are parents of children and wished
to voice their displeasure with our action of not staffing this location with
a crossing guard. We explained the situation, some understood, others did not.
It appears that Mr. Newman may have requested to the parents that they place a
call to us. Some parents indicated that they may appear at the City Council
meeting.
CONCLUSION:
Although Red Hill is a busy street, the staffing of a crossing guard at this
location is not warranted. The small number of children and time involved indicates
the Red Hill Lutheran Church could easily handle the crossing of their students
more efficiently than the practice of the City performing this function.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file. No further action required.
C R THAYE ,
Chief of PoIlce
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