Police Step Up Traffic Safety Efforts Near Schools As Academic Year Opens

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Saying they expect to see more kids riding bikes to school and for motorists to grow impatient amid increased morning traffic, police are hiring additional officers for the start of the academic year.

For at least the first two weeks of school, which starts Monday, additional officers will be positioned at intersections near schools to ease motor vehicle traffic and help direct both pedestrians and cyclists, according to Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico.

Though morning school traffic means vehicles will be forced to travel more slowly, “people do get impatient, so I am concerned about bike safety and people trying to get to where they are going as fast as they can, even in traffic,” DiFederico told members of the Police Commission at a special meeting, held Aug. 26 via videoconference.

“So I am a little concerned about having extra kids on bikes,” he said.

The comments and measures come as the 2020-21 academic year opens under a phased plan from the district amid the COVID-19 pandemic that will see students in grades one through 12 divided into one of two cohorts, splitting the week between learning in school and at home for about one month. The number of kids riding the bus to school will be down dramatically to the start the academic year, so officials are anticipating more drop-offs and drivers.

It’s “going to be challenging traffic-wise” at the start of the school year, DiFederico said, though the division of the student body into two cohorts should “give time for everybody to get used to being back.”

“Because quite honestly, nobody has had to really sit in traffic for six months now, so this is going to be kind of a shock now, for everybody to get back to what is normally a high traffic time. But we are anticipating it’s going to be a challenge and we are going to address it as best as possible.”

DiFederico noted that he received a request for additional crossing guards at the intersections of Old Stamford Road at Farm and Gower. Yet the Police Department hasn’t budgeted for additional officers there and “we haven’t had a demonstrated need in those two locations yet.”

“Now with this year it could be very different,” he said. “But in years past we really have not had a demonstrated need to hire crossing guards for those two locations. And quite honestly, it is hard to find crossing guards. It’s not a full-time job. It’s a part-time job so it’s hard to find good people and reliable people to do that. We have not hired and have not budgeted to hire in those locations. But if the Board of Ed desires to have it and is willing to hire, then we would certainly assist in any training that is involved and get them up to speed.”

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