PARK RIDGE—The Borough Council unanimously passed two ordinances Feb. 28 for hiring up to five special law enforcement officers — retired, armed police officers — for the school district’s two elementary schools and high school.
The officers likely will be in place by May at a starting salary of $35 per hour, borough administrator and clerk Maggie Giandomenico told us.
The ordinances set the hourly pay rate at $35 to $50 per hour and set the maximum number of SLEOs to be hired at five officers.
No public comments were offered on either ordinance approved to hire the special officers. These officers will be the first armed officers to be hired for local schools.
Giandomenico told Pascack Press that three officers will be hired for the school year ending in June. She said the three special officers will likely be rehired under a contract for 2023–2024 beginning in September 2023 and ending in June 2024.
She said the borough is paying the officers’ salaries but will be reimbursed by the school district. One officer will be stationed each at East Brook and West Ridge elementary schools and at Park Ridge High School.
Mayor Keith Misciagna said Feb. 28 that initially only three SLEOs would be hired, though the ordinance allows for up to five.
Giandomenico said officers would generally work an eight-hour school day, plus extra hours, when necessary, for after-hours school-related activities.
Councilman Matt Capilli thanked fellow council members for “working with the schools” and approving the hiring of special law enforcement officers. “I think it’s really important, unfortunately, that we have to talk about it these days but that is the state of affairs in our country.”
In other business, council approved a tax-exempt status for a local disabled veteran, Darren O’Donovan; approved a Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) pension donation for eligible local emergency fire and ambulance responders; and approved an “emergency temporary appropriation” of $40,000 for acquisition and installation of athletic field amenities and sports equipment acquisition.