Cherry Hill Police Begin 'Visible Presence' in Schools

Cherry Hill Police officers will move beyond just patrolling the grounds of the township’s schools and begin periodic walk-throughs of the buildings starting Tuesday, as school district and township officials work together to try to address security concerns in the wake of last week’s school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.

The decision came out of a Monday meeting between school district administrators, township officials and police, and isn’t in response to any threat, said Superintendent Maureen Reusche.

“The intent is to create a visible police presence to provide reassurance for parents, teachers and students,” Reusche wrote in a letter to parents Monday evening.

There was also a discussion of short- and long-term improvements to the school district’s security plan and emergency response procedures, Reusche said, which will be detailed more in the coming weeks and months.

“We are fortunate to have a strong collaborative relationship with the Cherry Hill Police Department,” she wrote. “Rest assured that we are all committed to ensuring the safety of our students and staff.”

The district currently mandates one fire drill and one security drill per month, in accordance with state statutes. Security drills can range from simulated bomb threats to active shooter drills—in fact, even as events were unfolding in Connecticut Friday, the district was running a lockdown drill at one of the elementary schools, Reusche said.

Parents can help by keeping to the security measures already in place, Reusche said—signing in at visits, not propping doors and not letting other visitors into the buildings.

“Let your principal know if you have a concern or question about school security policies,” she wrote.

School officials also recommend parents keep updated emergency contact information on file—in the event of an actual emergency, the district’s notification system will dial out to every number in the system, whether home, work or cellphone.

Meanwhile, school district staff are doing what they can to keep things as normal as possible in the schools in the wake of the shooting, Reusche wrote.

“Our teachers and staff are watching and listening for any signs of distress over last week’s events and our counseling staff is prepared to assist wherever they are needed,” she wrote.