CAMDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

Dr. LeFra Young

Superintendent

Reuben Mills           

Security Department
Deputy Superintendent (Office) 856­966­2101/2102 (Fax) 856­966­2144

Leon Freeman
          
Business Administrator

Thomas Hewes-Eddinger
Chief of Security To: Mr. Leon Freeman, Business Administrator

From: Mr. Thomas Hewes-Eddinger, Chief of Security

Date: December 8, 2008

Re: Staff and Equipment Assessment

I have met with a solid representation of staff from all levels throughout the district. My
initial assessment is as follows:

• In general, the staff assigned to the security department appears to have a

genuine interest in the safety and security of students and staff. At
several schools in the district the security officer’s position is a high
stress, physically demanding and at times a dangerous job.
• Many of the officers throughout the district are under qualified for the
position. Several are outright disgruntled, undermining and constantly
insubordinate.
• Professional appearance and grooming is inconsistent throughout the
staff. Many have taken liberty to create their own version of their
uniform. Standard Operating Procedures currently does not address a
Standard Uniform with proper insignias.
• The current job title of “School Law Enforcement Officer” is
inconsistent with their job description. An argument could be made that
the title is illegal and implies Police powers they do not have.
• Progressive discipline for Officers is virtually non-existent and the
current supervision levels within the department are minimal at best.
• Officer communications skills, both written and verbal are significantly
poor. This results is the misinterpretation of incidents involving school
violence and provides incorrect statistics in the districts Annual School
Violence Report to the State. It can also bring about undo stress to a
verbal incident causing it to rise to the level of a physical altercation.
• Board Policy on physical contact and restraint of students by security
staff is inconsistent. Board File Code: 3517 indicates security staff is to
have no physical contact with students. However, in the 2004 Board
approved District Wide Standard Operating Procedures that includes
procedures for Passive Restraint and Handcuffing of students by Security
personnel.
• Camden High School statistically has the most incidents of violence. In
the last two years the Security force at Camden High School has been
reduced 50% from 24 Officers to 12 Officers. On Friday, December 5,
2008 there were 5 separate violent assaults and a fire alarm triggered by
a student. This resulted in injuries to two staff members, three arrests for
assault, one arrest for possession of cocaine and one charge for triggering
the fire alarm.

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 • Camden Police had assigned 25 Patrol Officers as School Resource
Officers. In 2008 this number has been reduced to 4 for the entire
district. This leaves district security Officers more vulnerable to incidents
of physical contact with students.
• Several years of security department neglect and simply ignoring
requests for the service and replacement of existing Electronic
Surveillance Equipment have placed the entire system of cameras, radios
and scanners in a critical state of disrepair. The three existing scanners
(at Woodrow Wilson High and two at Camden High) are inoperable.
Recent Purchase Orders have been issued but it will take several weeks
to complete the repairs.

In order to re-establish a better trained and more responsive and professional security
department, I make the following recommendations’:

• The depleted staff needs to be rehired.

• A Basic Training Course for all new hires needs to be approved and
implemented with Guidelines from the Attorney General’s Training
Commission and be taught by Certified Instructors.
• Hiring Standards need to improve by requiring qualifications of
continuing education and/or military police experience.
• The starting salary needs to increase to attract better qualified applicants.
• Mandatory Bi-Annual in-service training for use of force, harassment
and communication skills needs approval. This should begin in January
2009.
• Additional in-service courses should be offered on gang identification,
recognizing child abuse and dealing with teenagers.
• The existing title “School Law Enforcement Officer” should be changed
to “School Security Officer”.
• Standard Uniforms should be approved that includes dress pants with
stripe, dress shirt with an embroidered shoulder patch and an
embroidered chest badge. Both should contain the district insignia. The
badge rockers should read “School Security Officer”. I am not
recommending at this time that wallet badges with picture credentials be
issued.
• To better supervision, I have redeployed the Operations Officers back
into an oversight capacity. This should help improve both the reporting
and informational system within the Security Departments chain of
command.
• I am recommending the creation of a promotional title of “Senior School
Security Officer” to be placed in those schools where three or more
officers are assigned. This shall significantly help better staff
supervision at the individual school level.
• The department should implement progressive discipline and random
drug and alcohol testing.
• I am recommending the Board hire a Security Investigator to assist Law
Enforcement on criminal investigations, conduct internal investigations,

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 administer the random Drug Testing Program and to implement both an
intelligence gathering and crime mapping system.
• I will be meeting with both Camden Police and the County Prosecutors
Office to improve both onsite police presence as well as extended outside
coverage areas at schools located in neighborhoods with higher street
crime activity.
• Lastly, Electronic Equipment needs to be repaired or replaced to improve
the existing system. Overall a district wide grant should be proposed to
upgrade and expand the districts Electronic Surveillance and
Communications Systems.

Please see attached: Camden City Public Schools Security Department

Organizational Chart
December 5, 2008- Draft