Our children’s safety is our top priority.

We, the parents and concerned community members of River Vale schools, request the Board of Education to place one Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) in each of our three schools, plus a trained alternate.

An SLEO III is a trained, armed, retired law enforcement officer dedicated to providing school safety and security.

On October 15, a 16-year-old former special-needs student climbed the fence at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, shot through a pair of locked glass doors, and entered a special-needs classroom just inside. Three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, and a 25-year-old teacher were killed; a second teacher and a 7-year-old girl were wounded.  This incident is a stark reminder that threats to our children are real and immediate.

While every other school in our area (Park Ridge, Hillsdale, Old Tappan, Westwood) already have school officers, our schools remain the only one without this security.  We deserve this protection now, not after the next headline.

This officer will:

• Serve as both a deterrent and a rapid-response resource
• Manage potential threats and protect students and staff
• Already be on campus, so help is seconds away, not minutes, in an emergency

Sign this petition to urge the River Vale Board of Education to approve the assignment of Class III Special Law Enforcement Officers in Woodside, Roberge and Holdrum schools.