Crossing guards help schoolchildren cross busy streets by stopping traffic with a stop sign. They are found in many countries, but have different names. They began to appear in the late 1920s due to concerns for children’s safety. Crossing guards have no legal power, but can report violations to authorities. Their training and duties vary, but they play an important role in ensuring children’s safety.
A crossing guard is a specially trained person who helps schoolchildren cross busy streets by stopping traffic with a stop sign. These individuals can be found in the United States, Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand, although they use different names depending on the country.
In the United States and Canada, the term crossing guard applies to people who help children cross streets. In the UK these people are called school crossing patrol officers; in New Zealand they are known as school patrol officers and in Australia these people are called school crossing supervisors. While the names of these guards may change, the duties expected of these individuals are much the same.
Crossing guards began to appear in many countries around the end of the 1920s. As cities became more populated, many citizens began to show concern for the safety of children who had to cross busy streets. In New Zealand, students and teachers can be selected to act as a patrol officer at the school crossing. These individuals are trained by various New Zealand police departments on how to properly stop traffic. When a patrol officer crossing the school issues a stop sign in New Zealand, all traffic must stop – failure to stop can result in a hefty fine.
Within the United States, there are no established regulations for crossing guards. A crossing guard could be a member of the police department, a school teacher, a volunteer, a retiree, or almost anyone else. These crossing guards may or may not receive a salary, depending on the state. This type of crossing guard informality has caused a great deal of debate in the United States, although the criteria for passing guards has not changed since the late 1920s.
In most countries crossing guards have no legal power. Unlike law enforcement authorities, a crossing guard cannot issue tickets or stop cars for other reasons. Still, a crossing guard might note the license plate number of the car that violates a stopping law. These numbers are often given to local agents, resulting in traffic tickets.
Crossing guards who are also law enforcement professionals can distribute tickets as they have legal authority. While the training provided for crossing guards can vary from country to country, these individuals help many school-age children cross streets safely on a daily basis. Thus, the work of a crossing guard is important and should not be overlooked.
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