ATTLEBORO – As the new school year approaches, Attleboro Police Chief Kyle Heagney is informing parents, guardians, students, and community members that an ongoing shortage of school crossing guards will result in some crossing guard posts going unfilled during the upcoming school year.
Over the past several years, the Police Department has experienced increasing difficulty recruiting and retaining enough crossing guards to staff all designated locations. Despite continued recruitment efforts, there are currently not enough crossing guards available to cover every post, said the chief.
As a result, parents and students should not assume that a crossing guard will be present at every traditionally staffed intersection or crossing location. The availability of crossing guards may vary based on staffing.
The Police Department is sharing this information before the start of the school year so families can prepare and take additional precautions when students travel to and from school.
Long-term future of the crossing guard program
The shortage of qualified applicants is not unique to Attleboro, said the chief. Communities across the state and country are facing similar challenges recruiting and maintaining crossing guard programs, and some municipalities have reduced or eliminated crossing guard positions. If the police department continues to be unable to recruit and retain sufficient personnel, it may become necessary in the future to reduce or eliminate crossing guard posts.
“It becomes a simple math problem; there are not enough crossing guards to staff each crossing guard post,” said Heagney.
The chief said he recognizes the importance of these positions and will continue recruitment efforts, however, maintaining the current number of posts is becoming increasingly difficult without enough qualified applicants to fill them.
“We need to prepare ourselves for the very real possibility that, in the future, we may no longer be able to hire enough crossing guards to staff these posts,” Heagney said. “This is not a direction we want to go, but the continued difficulty in finding qualified applicants means we have to be realistic about the future of the crossing guard program.”
The department’s remaining crossing guards will continue to serve at assigned locations, but existing staff can’t cover every intersection. Police will continue to monitor traffic and safety concerns, particularly in high-traffic areas.
Families and drivers can help
Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to review pedestrian and traffic safety practices with their children, including looking both ways before crossing, remaining alert to traffic, and using designated crosswalks whenever possible. Motorists should use extra caution near schools, crosswalks, and intersections; reduce their speed in school zones; and remain alert for children who may be crossing without the help of a crossing guard.
Families may also consider carpooling, having students walk together in groups, or organizing a “walking school bus” with responsible adults to increase student visibility and supervision.
Crossing guards needed – apply today
The Police Department continues to actively recruit individuals interested in serving the community as school crossing guards.
Crossing guards are paid $16.48 per hour and generally work two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. Applicants must be reliable, responsible, and suitable to work with children. Anyone interested in applying, or who knows someone who may be interested, is encouraged to contact the Human Resources Office at Attleboro City Hall; or apply online through the City of Attleboro website at cityofattleboro.us.
These paid, part-time positions provide an opportunity to directly contribute to the safety and well-being of Attleboro’s students.
Police Department has explored alternative recruitment efforts
The Attleboro Police Department has continued to explore different ways to recruit crossing guards, including reaching out to programs serving older residents.
“We have even asked the City of Attleboro Council on Aging for assistance through its Senior Tax Abatement Work-Off Program,” Heagney said.
The Senior Tax Abatement Work-Off Program allows eligible older adults to perform service for the city in exchange for a property tax credit of up to $1,000 per household. Participants complete 73 hours of service during the program year.
Heagney said the Police Department viewed the program as another potential way to address the crossing guard shortage while providing participating seniors with a meaningful opportunity to serve their community.
“We are trying to think outside the box and explore every reasonable option available to us,” he said. “I asked whether qualified senior citizens participating in the program might be interested in completing their 73 hours of service by helping our schoolchildren safely cross the street. Unfortunately, we were advised that there were no interested participants.”
The effort illustrates the difficulty the Police Department has encountered in finding enough individuals willing and able to serve as crossing guards, even as they continue to explore traditional and nontraditional recruitment opportunities, he added.
Current crossing guard post locations
The department’s current designated crossing guard locations include:
- Rathbun Willard Drive at Brennan Middle School
- Brown Street at Coelho Middle School
- Washington Street at Brown Street
- Brown Street at Robinson Avenue
- Oakhill Avenue at Hyman Fine School
- Rathbun Willard Drive at Studley School
- Orange Street at James Street
- Maple Street at Parker Street
- James Street at Brownell Street
- Maple Street at James Street
- Locust Street at Oakhill Avenue
- Rathbun Willard Drive at Rome Boulevard
- North Main Street at Mechanic Street
- County Street at Bushee Street
- County Street at Thirteenth Street
- County Street at Thatcher Street
- Mechanic Street at Riverbank
- Locust Street at Hickory Road
- Elizabeth Street at Water Street
- Watson Avenue at Hodges Street
- Mechanic Street at Hodges Street
- County Street at Dennis Street
- Mulberry Street at James Street
- Thatcher Street at Rathbun
The listing of a location does not guarantee that a crossing guard will be present. Some posts may remain unfilled because of staffing shortages.
Police ask parents, guardians, students, and motorists to exercise increased caution and vigilance as the school year begins. Student safety is a shared responsibility, particularly when staffing limitations prevent police from providing crossing guards at every designated location. The Police Department appreciates the community’s understanding and cooperation as we continue working to recruit crossing guards and address this ongoing staffing challenge.
