Edison Schools Switching From Off-Duty Cops To SLEOs In Schools

EDISON, NJ — The Edison School Board approved a plan last week to switch from off-duty police officers to Class III-Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs) to protect the schools.

The switch will take place in the beginning of the upcoming school year. Twenty SLEOs will be hired and assigned to local schools. All SLEOs are retired, fully-trained police officers under the age of 65; they are authorized to carry police department-issued service weapons.

Hiring SLEOs instead of off-duty police officers will cost the district $3,186 per day, or $573,500 for the full school year. This cost includes hiring, training, equipping and supervision of the officers by the township. This is a savings of $356,500 over the current cost to hire off-duty officers Business Administrator Maureen Ruane.

"The school district may see even greater savings once this plan is implemented during
the upcoming school year," Ruane said in a statement.

The switch was first proposed by the Township in July 2018; it was approved by the school board at their April 15, 2019, meeting.

"Our children’s safety is of paramount importance to every parent, grandparent and indeed all in our community. I am grateful that our Board of Education finally recognized the tremendous benefits this cost-efficient plan will provide to our children and our taxpayers," Mayor Thomas Lankey said in a statement.

The SLEOs will report to Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan. The school security staff will continue to report to the school district's Security Director Patrick Kissane. Bryan and Kissane will coordinate to "address the optimal deployment of resources," the township said.

"My primary concern is student-safety. These officers, all retired police officers, will be given additional training so that we can provide exemplary security and service to our school district, our children and their families," Police Chief Thomas Bryan said.