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HomeMy WebLinkAbout16B - Crossing GuardsPolicy & Procedure Page 1 of 5 Lexington Police Department Subject: Crossing Guard Policy Number: 16BAccreditation Standards: Reference: 16.4.1; 16.4.2; 61.3.4 Effective Date: 3/11/13 New Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police The Municipal Police Institute, Inc. (MPI) is a private, nonprofit charitable affiliate of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. MPI provides training and model policies and procedures for police agencies. This policy is an edited version of MPI Policy 5.XX, “Crossing Guards.” GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES The use of School Crossing Guards is an important aspect for the safe passage of children to and from school. The presence of a trained, highly visible, adult police department employee encourages compliance to traffic laws and safe behavior on the parts of both pedestrians and motorists. School Crossing Guards are uniformed civilian employees of the Police Department. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department that: 1. Crossing Guards will wear the assigned uniform parts and otherwise be equipped to assist students, in safely crossing streets and intersections so staffed; and, 2. Crossing Guards shall be trained in order to accomplish the performance of their duties. 3. Crossing guards shall have a cell phone, or similar device, in order to make contact with emergency services if necessary. 16B – Crossing Guards Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 5 PROCEDURE A. Definitions 1. Crossing Guard:An adult civilian police department employee tasked with assisting pedestrian and bicycle traffic, to and from school, safely across vehicular roadways. 2. SEIU Local 888: The union representing crossing guards, which are members of the Lexington Police Department. B. The Traffic Bureau shall supervise the school crossing guard program and serve as a liaison to the School and Engineering Departments. C. Authority: Crossing Guards are employees of the Lexington Police Department and are therefore authorized by the appointing authority and the Chief of Police to direct traffic and assist pedestrians crossing roadways. They are not authorized to take law enforcement actions. [61.3.4(a)] D. Primary Responsibilities: It shall be the duty of all Crossing Guards to: [61.3.4(a)] 1. Help children safely cross the street, at their designated location, as they walk or bicycle to and from school. 2. Discourage unsafe behavior of children. 3. Establish a safe street crossing point. 4. Encourage safe behavior by all pedestrians at the school crossing. 5. Alert motorists of the pedestrian crossing area. 6. Assist motorists entering or exiting school property. 7. Observe and report any unsafe incidents or conditions. E. Secondary Responsibilities: 1. Assist with traffic flow and direction. F. Selection Criteria [61.3.4(b)] 1. Candidates for employment as a school Crossing Guard(s) shall be recruited, screened, selected and trained according to the policies and procedures as established by the Human Resources office at the direction of the Town Manager. 2. A candidate for School Crossing Guard shall complete an interview and background examination. In order to fulfill the critical functions of this job, a Crossing Guard: a. Must have a good command of the English language. The ability to communicate in other languages common to the community is helpful; b. Must be physically able to stand for long periods of time in extreme weather; and 16B – Crossing Guards Policy & Procedure Page 3 of 5 c. Must have good vision, hearing and mobility; d. Must be a reputable citizen; e. Must provide the Department with a letter from their Doctor stating they are fit to perform the duties outlined in this policy and the job description. G. Evaluation 1. Crossing guards are subject to an annual evaluation, which includes but is not limited to the following: a. Attentiveness to the job; b. Attendance; c. Uniform appearance; d. Job performance. H. Equipment and Uniforms 1. Crossing Guards shall wear authorized attire that is issued for duty and shall wear reflective traffic vests or outerwear that conforms to ANSI 107-2004 standards, when performing their duties. [61.3.4(c)] 2. Crossing Guards will be issued replacement uniforms and equipment as needed but are expected to keep uniform parts clean and pressed. See Department policy 22B- Uniforms and Equipment Standards. I. Crossing Procedures 1. School Crossing Guards provide traffic direction and control, at specific times, in order to ensure the safety of school children traveling to and from designated schools. 2. Crossing Guards shall not direct traffic in the traditional sense but should assist with pedestrians crossing and vehicles exiting or entering the school property. 3. Crossing Guards shall use existing gaps in traffic to help students cross safely. Crossing should be coordinated with any existing crossing signal lights. The guards should follow the following procedure: a. The guard shall step into the street, remaining vigilant for traffic and unsafe conditions. b. The crossing guard shall verbally direct children to cross the street, when it is safe to do so. c. When the pedestrians have crossed, the crossing guard shall then exit the street. 4. When the natural traffic flow does not allow enough time for children to safely cross a street: 16B – Crossing Guards Policy & Procedure Page 4 of 5 a. The guard shall signal traffic to stop using hand signals or a STOP paddle. b. The guard shall step into the street. c. When conditions permit, the crossing guard shall verbally direct children to cross the street. d. When they have crossed, the crossing guard shall then exit the street and signal traffic to proceed. 5. School Crossing Guards should, from time to time, stop by the assigned school and consult with the school officials. Any safety issues, change in protocols, or other problems should be identified. The School Crossing Guard should then share with the Commanding Officer any issues that need to be corrected. J. Training 1. All crossing guards shall receive training as determined by the Chief of Police. Training shall include, but not limited to: CPR, year-start familiarization, and ethics testing done bi-annually thru the Town Clerks Office. [16.4.2] 2. All training received shall be placed in the crossing guards file. K. Criteria for Locations Requiring Crossing Guards [61.3.4(d)] 1. The Lexington Police Department and the Lexington Public Schools, in a cooperative effort shall determine the locations, times and duration of crossing posts for Crossing Guards. 2. In determining such posts, the following criteria at a minimum should be considered: a. The age of the children crossing. b. The width of the street and the number of lanes. c. Sight lines. d. Safe gaps in traffic. e. Existing traffic control devices, signals, signs, and pavement markings. f. Traffic speeds and volume. g. Pedestrian volume, Student Walk Survey [61.3.4] h. Accident history of the crossing site. L. Salary and Benefits: Once appointed School Crossing Guards are under the control of the Lexington Police Department. The Lexington Police Department administers all salary and benefits agreed upon and documented in the collective bargaining process between the Town of Lexington and SEUI Local 888. 16B – Crossing Guards Policy & Procedure Page 5 of 5 M. Absence: In the event of an absence, a Crossing Guard taking a personal day or sick day outside of business hours must contact the Commanding Officer on-duty and the Floater (1 hour before crossing) who will cover the vacant crossing. Advance requests can be made thru the Traffic Bureau Supervisor. N.Crossing Guard Locations: At the conclusion of each semester and from time to time as requested, all crossing guards are required to submit a report regarding the numbers of children crossing at their locations and long-term concerns at their traffic locations. This report is to be submitted to the Traffic Bureau Supervisor for review. Any immediate concerns should be brought to the attention of the Traffic Bureau Supervisor as soon as practical. [61.3.4(e)]