NJ city school district adds new tool to prevent potential threats

🚔Atlantic City starts new safety approach

🚔Every public school in the city

🚔Comment from chief

ATLANTIC CITY — As of today, public schools in Atlantic City are featuring something new: a police presence.

A police officer is assigned to every K-8 school, with two officers stationed at Atlantic City High School, according to the city’s statement.

The school resource officers will be a permanent addition investigating any crimes and building connections with students.

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“Having officers in every school is one of the most important steps we can take to ensure the safety of our students and school staff. With their presence, our officers not only help prevent potential threats but also act as positive role models, mentors and valuable resources for students in need,” Atlantic City Police Department Chief James Sarkos said.

School Resource Unit assignments:

• Officer Christopher Massey - Atlantic City High School
• Officer David Flaherty - Atlantic City High School
• SLEO III John Bazemore - Brighton Avenue School
• Officer Deborah Gilmore - Chelsea Heights School
• Officer Bryant Mitchell - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School Complex
• Officer Martina Martin - New York Avenue School
• Officer Rudolph Sime - Pennsylvania Avenue School
• Officer Richard Lasco - Richmond Avenue School
• Officer Tahsin Hossain - Sovereign Avenue School
• Officer Hiram Mercado - Texas Avenue School
• SLEO III Robert Campbell - Uptown School Complex
• Officer Rebecca Seabrook - Venice Park School

Just last month New Jersey 101.5 shared data from the state Department of Education; it found the 2022-2023 school year had 632 district arrests at 245 schools, which is a decline from pre-pandemic data.

That same school year saw one arrest at the elementary and middle schools in Atlantic City, and one arrest at the high school, according to our article.

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