By Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Fifth and sixth graders at Auten Road Intermediate School recently got some face time with some of the men and women of the Hillsborough Township Police Department, as part of an ongoing effort to promote safety at school, at home and online.
Roughly 10 members of the local police force spent close to three hours interacting with pupils during their lunch breaks at the intermediate school on Oct. 27. School administrators said their visit was the culmination of a month-long lesson called “Promoting Safe Students.”
“It was a great day for all of our students to have a chance to sit down and eat lunch with many members of the police force,” Scott Jensen, Auten Road Intermediate School vice principal, said. “There were many high fives and smiles shared by all during each of the eight lunch periods that the officers came to.”
The event was one of the few times that students in those grade levels get to personally interact with police.
Chief Darren Powell of the Hillsborough Police Department said the event was a good way for kids to get used to dealing with police without there being an immediate need or danger present.
“The kids were very appreciative to us and showed appreciation for what we do to keep them safe,” he said. “Whatever questions they asked us, we answered.”
Over the course of roughly three hours, Chief Powell said the kids opened up to police about a myriad of topics, ranging from personal interests to the officers’ own children.
Other topics, like staying away from strangers, the importance of wearing a seat belt and calling the police for any suspicious activities, were also discussed.
“We weren’t following any scripts or bullet points when we were talking to the kids,” Chief Powell said. “A lot of the discussion was just social things about what they like to do and what we like to do. It was mostly just the social aspect of interacting with those students.”
Though the police department and school district currently have a school resource officer (SRO) assigned to Hillsborough High School, which can help normalize police interactions with teens and young adults, earlier grade levels at the district’s remaining schools do not.
Despite the lack of additional SROs, Chief Powell said his officers often seek out ways of getting involved with the township’s youth.
“We do work during a lot of events at the schools, whether it be some athletic events or other lower key events and very often, we have the opportunity to socialize with the kids and the parents,” he said. “We always look at it as a good opportunity to establish positive relationships — and with kids, that’s very important.”
With this now being the second year that the Hillsborough Police Department spent their lunches with Auten Road Intermediate School students, Principal Christopher Carey said he hoped to see the practice continue.
“On behalf of the students and staff at ARIS, I would like to thank Chief Powell and all of the officers who were able to stop by and create a lasting memory for our students,” he said.
