Police officers are determined to LEAD students down the right path of life.
In a project that is an example of the sound relationship between the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District and the Bridgewater Police Department, the LEAD program has been launched this school year.
The Bridgewater Police Officers have begun serving as class instructors to LEAD–Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence—in the 5th Grade Health and Physical Education course at both the Eisenhower Intermediate School and the Hillside Intermediate School.
The classes will be held through the first semester that ends in December, and then the course will pick up for the second semester in January and be taught to 5th Grade students through June at both Eisenhower and Hillside.
A total of nine Bridgwater Police Officers have devoted their time to serve as the class instructors.
Here are the law enforcement officers who will be teaching the LEAD program throughout this school year:
School Resource Officers M. Thomsen and A.Akins and Bridgewater Police Officers, A. Alosi, J. Duffy, B.Eitner, P. Kaczynski, B. MacDonald, A. Milito and N. Rosado
Dave Guglietti, the Supervisor of Health and Physical Education for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, explained how this partnership developed.
“The program began at Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District through an outreach between myself and the Chief of Police, John Mitzak,” Mr. Guglietti said. “Working collaboratively with the Chief and the Principals, Dr. Laura Bassett at Eisenhower and Dr. Tali Axelrod at Hillside, we were able to bring this program to our 5th Grade students this year.”
Mr. Guglietti further discussed this valuable program.
“LEAD’s vision is to create safer, healthier communities, schools, youths, and teens, with substance use prevention, anti-bullying, and violence reduction initiatives throughout the country and ultimately the world,” Mr. Guglietti stated.
Mr. Guglietti continued.
“They provide the leadership, resources and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner with our educators, community leaders, and families to foster violence and substance use prevention in local schools and communities. We succeed by providing proven and effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug-related crimes, bullying and violence. We are committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill and relations between law enforcement and their communities.”
On the first day of the lesson, which was kicked off on Monday, September 15, Officer Thomsen, who also serves as a School Resource Officer for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, and Officer Eitner, introduced themselves and the LEAD program to the 5th Grade students at Eisenhower.
Hillside was the host to its first LEAD class on Friday, September 19.
“This is a really good community program with the students,” Officer Thomsen said. “This is an introduction with kids so they can recognize us in town.”
“We can use LEAD to get the message across to the students that they can come to us, law enforcement, at any time,” Officer Eitner revealed. “This program can build a healthy lifestyle and it is good to start now, here in 5th Grade.”
Officer Thomsen concluded:
“This (LEAD) will help with good decision-making.”
The Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District made a really good decision here to sponsor LEAD.