7 Crossing Guard Positions Eliminated In Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT — Seven crossing guards were abruptly let go last week in Wallingford, as part of the police department’s plan to reduce coverage where it wasn’t needed, according to the Record-Journal.

The Record-Journal reported the police department, which pays for the crossing guards, conducted a study last year that found seven locations didn’t have a need for a crossing guard because there was little to no student traffic at the posts.

There was miscommunication, however, between the out-of-state company that provides the crossing guards and the local office that supervises them that resulted in the crossing guards showing up for work at the beginning of the school year, even though their positions had been eliminated, according to the Record-Journal.

Jim Snedeker, the popular crossing guard who is known around town for waving to every car that drives by, posted in the Positively Wallingford Facebook group on Thursday morning that he just found out that the posts were eliminated.

“I am now no longer a crossing guard,” Snedeker wrote in the post. “I will miss all the kids and parents and commuters that I considered friends. All the time I never considered this a job. I will miss all of you have filled a very big hole in my heart I'll never forget you.”

Snedeker, who started in 2016, previously told Patch that becoming a crossing guard was a life-changing experience for him.

“I’m a widower and up until I got this job, I just sat home and did nothing,” he said at the time. “They gave me a life.”

Snedeker’s post in the Facebook group generated more than 100 comments (until commenting was shut off) with many people upset that his position was eliminated. Many expressed how much he has meant to them, while others were also concerned about potential safety issues with several positions being eliminated. Others also said that it was unacceptable and asked town officials to get involved.

In a follow-up post, Snedeker clarified that he was only trying to say goodbye, and he understood the town’s decision.

“PLEASE understand the decision was a good one for the town, there was more often than not I didn't see one student,” he wrote. “Costing the town needlessly. I only wanted to say good bye to all the people who meant so much to me.”

Town Councilor Vinnie Testa also responded in the comments and said he spoke with Police Chief John Ventura regarding the situation.

“They adjusted their plans last year based on a review of all the posts from the existing model,” Testa wrote. “It was determined that certain crossings had no need for a crossing guard. Some had no children crossing at all. In no cases, was the decision made to remove a crossing guard where it may present a danger to children. This is our Police Department making these decisions. Also, it had nothing to do with money.

“One glitch that happened yesterday was that the company assigning guards forgot to share the changes with all their people, so they only found out yesterday or today.

“Please keep in mind that the original poster stated he was using this as an opportunity to say goodbye and not alert us to a safety issue. He understood and agreed with the decision.”

Read the full story at the Record-Journal here.