Dear Editor:
In the aftermath of the 26 people killed in a elementary school in Connecticut, many communities nation wide called for putting police officers in our schools. Recently, Hoboken Councilman Russo, advocated this sentiment at a council meeting. Fortunately, here in Union City under the leadership of Mayor & Public Safety Commissioner Brian P. Stack, this policy of having full time police officers in our schools has been in place since he became Mayor in 2000.
Mayor and 33rd District Senator Stack’s top priority in governing has always been the safety of our children. He has worked hand and hand with the Union City Board of Education to accomplish this goal. Today, there are full time police officers at Emerson Middle School, Union Hill Middle School, Jose Marti Freshman Academy and Union City High School. Police officers are visible in the mornings when students are going to school, in the afternoons during dismissal at elementary schools and day cares. Senator Stack has worked hard as legislature to secure state funding for school security measures for all the abbot district throughout New Jersey. This has enabled the Union City Board of Education to be used as an example in how to keep our children safe while in school. The fact of the matter is that security director of Union City school district was a former police chief in Union City.
He has implemented his expertise in security matters in the school system. Cameras have been installed throughout all faculties in the Union City school district and expert security personal have been hired to monitor these cameras to keep students and staff safe. Moreover, security guards in the schools are provided with state of the art radios that have direct transmission to the Union City Police Department in case of an emergency. Finally, the hiring of a former police chief to lead the security of students and staff is a representation of the great values and goals Union City Board of Education members have for the district.
In closing, Union City residents proudly can state that though their leaders are not perfect, the mayor and the Board of Education in a coordinated effort of working together for our children, have already implemented safety measures in our school system that neighboring communities and communities nation wide want to emulate. God Bless America!
Celin J. Valdivia