NJ Education Report

Bridgewater plans to protect every child in every school every day of the school year by placing a Bridgewater Township police officer in every school every day.

On Thursday, August 4th, Mayor Matthew Moench submitted to the Board of Education a new agreement that will define the terms of police involvement in school security for the 2022-2023 school year. The proposed agreement will provide for a pathway to ensure that there is a Bridgewater Township Police Officer stationed at every school within the Township every day of the academic year. It would also eliminate the possibility of armed private security in Bridgewater schools as currently envisioned by the School District.  This agreement would also reduce the financial burden on the School District based on the terms of last year’s agreement.  These funds could be used for additional educational purposes for the students in the district.

In a cover letter to the Board, Mayor Moench said the following, “In the past few weeks, our community has had a justifiably impassioned conversation about school safety and security. Every Bridgewater resident has the right to understand with perfect clarity where both the Township government and the School District stand on this critical issue.”

The full letter, which can be found here, lays out the principles and convictions of the Mayor and Bridgewater Township Police Department and goes on to say, “Make no mistake: I and my Administration are now and have always been willing and eager to work with Superintendent Beers and the entire Board of Education. Our ability to collaborate is especially important given the absolutely unprecedented scope and scale of this proposal; never before in Bridgewater’s history has the Township offered such expansive logistical and financial support to the School District. We must seek common ground…However, compromise does not mean concession on any of the core principles which will ensure the safety of our children. As both a father and a public official, I cannot and will not abandon my responsibility to ensure the security of our schools.”

To review the full proposed agreement submitted today, click here.