Borough of Northvale, NJ Article V Adult School Crossing Guards

[Added 7-10-2013 by Ord. No. 917-2013]

§ 42-29 Appointment; term; revocation; qualifications; supervision and direction.

A. The Mayor and Council shall appoint adult school crossing guards for terms not exceeding one year and revoke such appointments for cause and after proper hearing before the Chief of Police or other chief law enforcement officer of the municipality. Before any adult school crossing guard is appointed, the Chief of Police shall ascertain the eligibility of the applicant and make a report to the governing body. No person shall be appointed as an adult school crossing guard unless he/she:

(1) Is a citizen and resident of this state;

(2) Is sound in body and of good health;

(3) Is of good moral character; and

(4) Has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude.

B. An adult school crossing guard shall be under the direction of the Northvale Police Department and his/her powers and duties as an adult school crossing guard shall cease at the expiration of the term for which he/she was appointed. An adult school crossing guard shall follow and adhere to the policies and practices instituted by the Borough of Northvale and Northvale Police Department.

C. Every adult school crossing guard shall be under the supervision and direction of the Chief of Police or his designee wherein he/she is appointed and shall perform his/her duties only in such municipality. He/she shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of a regular employee of the municipality.

D. Prior to appointment, each applicant must undergo the following test as recommended by Adult School Crossing Guard Employment:

(1) Vision standards and recommended tests.

(a) Peripheral vision. Visual field shall be 160° in the horizontal meridian binocularly with or without correction. Any perimeter that can measure the horizontal field of vision can serve as the testing method. The extent of the visual field shall be determined along the horizontal meridian for each eye with a perimeter (confrontation fields are not acceptable). Values less than 160° are acceptable only if complete compensation occurs with the opposite eye in binocular viewing. Any central absolute scotoma must be completely compensated by the opposite eye.

(b) Stereopsis. Using either the Titmus test (TST) or the Rand Dot Stereo test (RST) or the Randot E test: TST Wirt Circle No. 8 (50 seconds of disparity) RST or RDE Target No. 6 (50 seconds of disparity). Subject must identify which object stands out from the page wearing Polaroid eyeglasses.

(c) Color/vision. In response to one of the following three editions of the Ishihara Pseudoisochromatic Plate Screening test, with the testing conducted one plate at a time, the applicant should achieve the following results:

[1] Thirty-eight-plate edition: The first 21 plates - nine errors or less. An individual who misses the first plate has failed.

[2] Twenty-four-plate edition: The first 15 plates - six errors or less.

[3] Sixteen-plate edition: The first nine plates - four errors or less.

(d) Visual acuity. The applicant must be able to read 20/30 letters with the dominant eye on the standard Snellen optotype chart. The nondominant eye must have 20/40 or better with best correction. The applicant is asked to read the smallest line of letters that can be read with one eye covered. This is repeated with the opposite eye covered. An applicant wearing contact lenses must meeting the visual acuity standard with their contact lenses in place. A statement from the applicant's eye care professional must be presented confirming that contact lenses have been worn successfully for a minimum of four months.

(2) Hearing standards and recommended tests.

(a) The candidate must be tested in a sound booth. Both the sound booth and audiometer used for testing should be calibrated using the most recent ANSI standards, and have been calibrated within the past year. Calibration certificates should be on file and available for review.

(b) Candidates qualify if they meeting standards with or without amplification.

(c) The crossing guard hearing standards are as follows:

[1] Hearing thresholds of 40dB or better in each ear at 500, 1K, and 2KHz.

[2] Pure tone average thresholds at 500, 1K and 2KHz, 35 dB or better in each ear.

[3] The hearing threshold at 4K Hz must be 45dB or better in each ear.

§ 42-30 Criminal history background check.

Prior to appointment, each applicant must submit to a criminal history background check, conducted by the Chief of Police or his designee.

§ 42-31 Failure to comply.

Failure to comply with all of the preemployment requirement shall disqualify the applicant from employment as an adult school crossing guard.

§ 42-32 Training.

The Borough of Northvale and Northvale Police Department shall provide yearly school crossing guard training to all regular assigned adult crossing guards and all alternate adult crossing guards.

§ 42-33 Safety equipment.

The Borough shall provide all adult school crossing guards with the proper safety equipment and uniform/clothing apparel to properly perform the duties of adult school crossing guard.

§ 42-34 Evaluations.

A. The Chief of Police or designee shall conduct yearly evaluations of adult school crossing guards and school crossings and maintain a written record of such evaluations.

B. The Police Chief or designee may conduct periodic evaluations of adult school crossing guards upon receipt of any complaint or observation by the Chief of Police or his designee for incidents other than diminished capacity.

§ 42-35 Diminished capacity.

A. In the event that during the term of appointment, the governing body or police department determines, by observation or receipt of a complaint, that a guards physical and mental well-being has diminished, the school crossing guard may be required to submit to a reexamination as described in § 42-32.

B. Upon receipt of a complaint of diminished capacity, the Chief of Police or designee shall observe and evaluate the adult school crossing guard for a sufficient period of time to document the basis of complaint and maintain a written record of such observation and evaluation.