Title: security improvements for river edge schools community problem solving and working together is the mission of our borough

In developing this proposal, the police chief said that we are working through tough problems, through partnerships, and a collaborative understanding of each other's mission and vision for safer schools. River edge, SD is a suburban community located about 58 miles northwest of new york. We are working within a 2% tax levy restriction and have costs that are much more than this, i.e., health care costs 15.1%, energy costs, transportation costs doubled, teachers contract above 3%. State aid is not increasing at a sustainable rate to keep up with increased demands in curriculum, student needs, building updates and upgrades to our infrastructure. Due to the age of our buildings, many of our budgeted dollars must go to repairs and upgrades. The district philosophy is that all decisions reflect the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of pre-k to sixth grade students. School social workers provide unique services to students and their families, helping the students with social, emotional, cultural, and economic differences among children and families enabling them to be linked between school, family, and community. School safety drills practiced monthly include fire/evacuation, lockdown for active threats, soft lockdown to stay in the building, hold in place for a situation in school, severe weather, and bus safety. The police department provides a deeper level of training for staff who wish to participate in active shooter drill scenarios. River edge is a place with a keen sense of community and one where schools are valued and supported. Cooperation and on-going communication exist between the school district and the community. The community quarterly safety committee meetings, the school's safety committee, and the police department's sustained school safety efforts are research based. The superintendent is the designated school safety member as required by NJ law. Risk assessments are completed internally with the police chief and sergeant. Unannounced, the police chief sends in a police officer in plain clothes who attempts to enter the schools during the school day, using the front door. The police department does regular walk around the schools, during drills, and provides after-action reports. The technology and equipment proposed in this grant request were developed from years of assessments and evaluation of what will work. This proposal works to close those gaps through this cops program assistance to strengthen school safety and provide even safer school environments without criminalizing student behavior. The equipment and technology request includes electronic access control for all buildings, shatterproof window film for all exterior entrances, strengthening main entrance for visitor entrance - visitor management to include bulletproof glass, school video surveillance system and cameras, and radios for staff and administrators for better communications and interoperability with police that provide for interruptible emergency communications on all frequencies. We believe this proposal is aligned with the purpose and statute of the cops school violence prevention program.