Berkeley Heights Township : No Official Opinion Given By BHPD On School Redistricting To Date

Press release from the Berkeley Heights Township:

April 22, 2021

By BERKELEY HEIGHTS POLICE CHIEF JASON MASSIMINO

As of this date, no official opinion has been expressed by the Berkeley Heights Police Department regarding the current redistricting proposal. If requested to do so by the Board of Education or Superintendent of Schools, we will analyze any data generated by a study to determine how redistricting would impact pedestrian and traffic safety and provide options for consideration. Our opinion would then be presented to the Superintendent of Schools by the Chief of Police.

Our responsibilities to the Township in such a matter include the proper staffing and deployment of crossing guards, speed control signs, enforcement, monitoring pedestrian volume, safe-route planning, and the safe and orderly flow of traffic, especially during drop-off and pick-up times. We have assisted the school district many times, including the deployment of specialized instruments, numerous hours of observation by multiple officers, consultation with Union County and township engineers, crossing guard assessments, and sometimes budgeting measures.

We value our long-standing collaborative relationship with the school district, which includes assisting in school safety measures and drilling, securing grants, anti-bullying initiatives, drug education, and traffic/safety issues. We will continue that relationship and look forward to assisting in any way possible in the current redistricting discussion.

This press release was produced by the Berkeley Heights Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.