School Crossing Guard

     School Crossing Guards are highly visible representatives of the Garden City Police Department who are responsible for encouraging patterns of proper crossing behavior by school children. They are assigned at designated crossing points throughout the Village. They assist children in crossing traffic intersections at an assigned post during the hours when children are entering and leaving school; do related work as required.

     A School Crossing Guard requires vigilance in directing and protecting children during those hours when they are entering and leaving school. This position is a part-time one requiring the incumbent to serve at an assigned post. A School Crossing Guard is not a member of the uniformed Police Department and does not perform police duties.

     The primary responsibility of an adult school crossing guard is to help children safely cross the street as they walk or bicycle to and from school.

A well-trained adult school crossing guard can help to accomplish the following goals:

• Discourage children from behaving unsafely near traffic, such as darting into the street without looking or crossing against a traffic signal. A guard can encourage safe behavior by all pedestrians at the school crossing.
• Use existing gaps in traffic to help students cross safely. When the natural traffic flow does not allow enough time for children to safely cross a street, a guard may need to create gaps by stopping traffic temporarily. The guard stops traffic with hand signals or a STOP paddle, then verbally directs children to cross the street. A guard is always the first person in the street and the last person out of the street.
• Alert motorists that pedestrians are in the process of using the school crossing.
• Observe and report any incidents or conditions that present a potential safety hazard to the school children or the guard.