Two Armed Officers Set To Patrol Chatham Schools

CHATHAM, NJ - With the new school year fast approaching the School District of the Chathams is preparing for classes with a pair of armed officers as part of a push for increased security.

"We have taken many steps in recent years to ensure that our schools are safe and secure. Last year, we partnered with Chatham Township to introduce a Class
III Officer into our high school. A Class III Officer is a recently-retired police officer who has received special training to serve in a school setting," Superintendent Michael LaSusa said. "This summer, we have partnered with Chatham Borough and the result of that collaboration will be the introduction of a Class III Officer at Chatham Middle School."

LaSusa noted that the officers are part of the municipal police departments and will provide the schools with an additional level of security.

Back in March, the Chatham Township Police Department hired an armed officer, retired Montville Police Chief Rudy Appelmann, to enhance school security. This second officer is part of a shared services agreement between the school district and the governing body of Chatham Borough. Like Appelmann, the new hire will be a Class III SLEO position.

Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs) Class III are generally armed and are retired officers. The SLEO III Officers would be funded through the Board of Education budget but would be members of the police departments. The shared services agreement allows the school district to pay for the officer through Chatham Borough.

In addition to personnel, LaSusa noted other changes to the facilities and procedures in an effort to be safer and more secure. Most of these changes will
not be readily visible, but some may affect traditional routines.

"For example, our principals are in the process of more closely examining the number of visitors we admit to our schools," LaSusa said.

LaSusa said the vast majority of visitors are parents and even that can cause issues.

"For example, at Chatham Middle School last year, it was not uncommon for there to be 50 times per day that parents dropped off lunches, Chromebooks, or other items that children had forgotten to bring to school in the morning," he said. "While this seems innocuous, this number of visits to the school can be disruptive to the office staff and requires the front door to be opened more frequently than necessary. I have asked the principals to consider ways to reduce this level of traffic."

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