Crossing guards in Pennsylvania town will wear body cameras after recent assault: “It’s a game changer”
By Madeleine Wright
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DELAWARE COUNTY, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Crossing guards in one Delaware County community are now wearing body cameras in response to ongoing concerns about aggressive drivers.
East Lansdowne Police Chief James Cadden said the body camera program was planned in response to repeated complaints about drivers ignoring and abusing crossing guards.
“They’ve had quite a few incidents in the past with people driving past them while they’re holding up the stop sign,” Cadden said. “They’ve heard verbal abuse hurled at them, threats, things like that.”
Last month, police in Darby Borough, which is three miles away from East Lansdowne, said an aggressive driver punched a school crossing guard in the face, knocking her unconscious. The U.S. Marshals Service captured the suspected driver days later in South Carolina.
Cadden said that the case reflects the kind of risks guards can face on the job.
“I think it’s sad to say that, you know, it’s kinda come to that,” Cadden said. “But we can only live in the reality that we’re forced to live in.”
The body cameras are part of a layered safety approach. Combined with AI-assisted traffic cameras in school zones, officials said the tools help document incidents and track suspects when needed.
“It’s a game changer,” Cadden said.
The cost of the program is relatively small, according to the chief. He said it is bundled into the police department’s existing body worn camera system, making it difficult to separate out exact costs, but estimates it runs about $1,000 to $2,000 per year for all crossing guards.
The police department said body camera footage has already helped lead to charges against a driver accused of endangering a crossing guard and children.
Stacy, a crossing guard in East Lansdowne who asked that her last name not be used, said the job often puts her in close calls with traffic.
“I’m gonna say a couple weeks ago, a car almost hit me, like really hit,” she said. “Tires squeaking and everything.”
Stacy said the cameras add peace of mind.
“I appreciate it and I believe we’re the only one out here in Delco that have ’em, East Lansdowne,” she said. “I think all of ’em should have ’em, if you’re a crossing guard.”
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