ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and the Atlantic City Police Department are working together this summer to provide a safe return-to-school program and enhanced safety systems within the city’s schools for September.
According to officials today, the city, and the Atlantic City School District, have discussed a potential collaboration that would enhance safety in the schools.
This program is thanks to a federal grant that would allow the district to add about a dozen special police officers into the schools.
According to Mayor Marty Small, in June, the city applied for a federal grant that would allow eleven Class III officers – officers assigned to school districts — to be stationed. The goal is to increase that number to 22, which will mean two officers are stationed at each school.
“In Atlantic City, we always want to be prepared”, said Mayor Marty Small, Sr. “You know the old adage is ‘you rather have options and not need them than to need options and not have them.’ So, we want to put our police department and the school district in a position where we are prioritizing safety.”
“We think adding Class III’s is a great addition to the schools,” said Chief of Police James Sarkos. “We think it will greatly improve the security and safety at the schools, and I know we’re all on the same page where we believe that the most precious resource that the City of Atlantic City has is our youth.”
Along with a boost of security in schools, Mayor Small said the city will resist the defund the police movement that was a political force as recently as 2021 and begin re-funding the department to combat crime in the city.
“The Small Administration is also looking to increase police presence throughout the city, with one of the main focuses being Atlantic Avenue. In a community-policing effort, the city has planned to hire part-time police aides to provide full coverage around the city,” Small’s office said in a prepared press release.
“This administration takes all of these matters extremely seriously”, said Mayor Small. “We see what’s going on and we’re trying to make a solution.”
“We are reaffirming our commitment to cleaning up Atlantic Avenue,” said Chief Sarkos. “The police department will be out in full force, making sure that anything that is in violation of the two criminal codes will be strictly enforced and we’re going to get Atlantic Avenue the way it should be, the way it used to be.”
The Atlantic City Police Department will include specific details in their October roll-out plans.
The City of Atlantic City has announced a plan to improve safety both within the school system and on the streets.
🔹 The City, and the Atlantic City School District, have discussed a potential collaboration that would enhance safety in the schools by adding Class III officers.
🔹 The City is looking to increase police presence throughout the city, with one of the main focuses being Atlantic Avenue, by hiring part-time police aides to provide full coverage around the City.