EXCLUSIVE: POLICE CHIEF ON SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUES, PROMISES STEPPED UP TUSCAN PRESENCE

Police Chief Robert Cimino, in an exclusive statement to Maplewoodian responding to the accident Monday afternoon outside Tuscan School in which a student was hit by a passing car, revealed a heavier police presence at the school will occur.


In reaction to a request for comment on the school safety issue in town, Cimino stated:

The Maplewood Police Department is always concerned about the safety of students and all traffic safety issues around our schools. All of the township schools have high volumes of traffic in their areas at times and there are traffic safety problems unique to each school.  Our Traffic Unit and patrol officers work hard to address the traffic issues at all of the township schools daily. But enforcement is only one aspect of traffic safety. Driver and pedestrian education, awareness and good judgment are other important aspects of traffic safety. Periodic enforcement of traffic violations is performed throughout the day in Maplewood. In 2011 officers issued over 2,300 summonses for moving violations.

Our Traffic Unit has worked very closely with the Tuscan School Safety Committee parents to make improvements to the traffic flows and traffic safety awareness. In fact due to the proactive efforts of the safety committee working with MPD, the school has one of the most comprehensive traffic flow programs and enforcement responses in the township. Unfortunately, even with significant efforts accidents can and will happen. It’s fortunate that the most recent incident did not result in serious injury to the student. The Maplewood Police Department periodically initiates enhanced enforcement efforts at each school and parents should be mindful that one such enhanced effort will occur at Tuscan School for several days in response to this recent accident.

The school district meanwhile, declined to give specifics on the Monday incident, stating:

Student safety is always a top priority in South Orange Maplewood School District.  We work closely with staff and, when appropriate, with outside authorities to educate students on safety guidelines, and to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment for our students and staff.