Crime & Safety
School Crossing Guard Is One of County's Best
Frederick King, who takes time to get to know the Palm Harbor Middle and Ozona Elementary students he protects, was honored this month with the 2012 Maybelle Rollins Bradford Award.
Frederick King shows up at Tampa Road and Alternate U.S. 19 every day.
Rain, cold, heat, it doesn't matter. King is at the intersection every school day, helping safely shepherd students to and from school.
"Sometimes, it rains so hard that my shoes are full of water before my shift even starts," King joked.
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King has been working as a crossing guard in Pinellas County since 2002. He also serves as a crossing guard at Palm Harbor Middle School.
King is such a fixture at the intersection of Alt. 19 and Tampa Road, he "knows all his students and parents by name and can even remember the sports the students participate in," according to a media release from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
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For his dedication, the Sheriff's Office recognized King with the 2012 Maybelle Rollins Bradford Award this month. The award is based on factors including attendance, conduct, care of students, length of service and hazards at the crossing.
"I've been doing this so long I can't remember when I started," King said. "I surely don't do this for the money."
Crossing guards receive $23 an hour for their work, which can be especially hazardous at busy intersections like Tampa Road and Alternate 19, where King assists more than 60 students per shift. At most, guards work two 45-minute shifts a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
