WESTWOOD—The borough has hired two special law enforcement officers to work in the Westwood Regional School District elementary schools starting this year.
At a special Aug. 29 virtual council meeting, the borough approved resolution 22-215, hiring SLEO III officers James Kaine and Greg Stalb. The officers took their oaths of office at the Westwood Police Department headquarters in a midday ceremony.
Kaine is a retired Dumont police officer. Stalb is a retired Park Ridge police officer.
State law allows public and non-public schools and county colleges to hire retired law enforcement officers on a part-time basis to provide security on school grounds. They have the same authority and duties as regular, full-time police officers while providing school security and are under the authority of the local chief of police.
Mayor Ray Arroyo, council members, and Police Chief Michael Pontillo — who also is an elected trustee in the K-12 regional school district — congratulated the officers on their new positions.
Pontillo thanked the mayor and council for their support of law enforcement, and Superintendent Jill Mortimer for “her vision” in recognizing the importance of SLEO III officers in every district school.
Both officers will be paid $52,080, for 186 days of employment, with no health benefits, and 10 paid days off. The 186 days include five days of training and 181 days of school. The officers’ salaries will be paid by the Westwood Regional School District.
District trustees included funding for four SLEO IIIs in the 2022-2023 school budget, and following the May school shooting in Uvalde, Texas where 19 youngsters and two teachers were killed, expressed support for placing an officer in every school, including all four elementary schools.
Mortimer told Pascack Press that Kaine will serve at Brookside Elementary School and Stalb will serve at Berkeley Elementary School.
“I am proud to say the district has an excellent relationship with the local police departments and mayors, and we consistently work together to ensure the safety of our staff and students. The SLEOs, coupled with the district’s recent reunification training, have positioned us to be well prepared in the event of an emergency. We look forward to welcoming them to our schools next week,” Mortimer said.
(See “More funds, extra officers proposed for WWRSD security,” June 20, 2022, Pascack Press.)
Previously, the four elementary schools in Westwood and Township of Washington shared two SLEO III police officers. The high school and middle school each had its own SLEO III officer.