HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL

The idea of students guiding other school children across potentially dangerous streets in school neighbourhoods was created and fostered by Charles M. Hayes. The patrol founder and Chicago Motor Club president drove one of the first automobiles seen on Chicago streets.

One cloudy morning in 1922, Hayes witnessed a frightening collision on his way to work. Always a careful driver, he had stopped at a school crossing where small children were taking their chances by darting across the street between breaks in traffic. As he waited, a speeding car approached in the left lane just as a group of youngsters reached the middle of the street. The driver braked too late and screaming children where hurled in all directions.

Shocked by the helplessness of children in traffic, Hayes pledged himself to their protection. Realizing that many cities had understaffed police departments and lacked the funds to hire adult crossing guards, he embarked on an experiment to prove that youngsters themselves could be taught to exercise the judgment necessary to protect their classmates at school crossings. Hayes trained two dozen boys under the age of 14 in the principles of traffic safety. The prototype patrol turned in an excellent performance in its first year, earning the respect of school officials and teachers. Traffic policemen welcomed the extra assistance once they noticed how youngsters accepted patrol authority. Hayes championed this concept and within a few years almost every school in the Illinois/Indiana area had accepted and endorsed it. Meanwhile, new auto registrations soared, adult traffic deaths mounted and the death rate for children dropped significantly.

Since its inception, the School Safety Patrol has involved millions of boys and girls. One measure of their effectiveness is the fact that the motor vehicle/pedestrian death rate for children aged 5 - 14 has dropped 62 percent since 1935. During this time the death rate of all other age groups has increased more than 75 per cent.

History of School Safety Patrols in Alberta

The first patrol in Alberta was started in Calgary in 1937. The Calgary AMA branch president Gordon McGachie used to tour the schools with Sergeant Williamson, the police coordinator. They'd tour by motorcycle and would arrive at school with the siren making the greatest possible commotion to attract attention, then Williamson and McGachie would give talks about safety and the importance of supporting the school patrol. The first patrol in Edmonton was started at the Alex Taylor School in 1938. Constable Walter Crawford, supervised the AMA school patrollers. He also organized the annual banquet.

The sponsorship of the School Safety Patrol Program was the first traffic safety promotion undertaken by the Alberta Motor Association.

School Patrols' success is evident in the record of its performance. There has never been a serious or fatal injury collision at a crosswalk controlled by School Safety Patrollers.

AMA SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Team Leader/Captain

All positions within the patrol are of equal importance. However, Team Leaders should be appointed from each patrol team. Team Leaders are responsible for:

• Setting, maintaining, and executing the daily schedule with the assistance of the Teacher/Supervisor.
• Monitoring patrollers at the crosswalk to ensure proper procedures are used.
• Monitoring equipment for damage or loss.
• Maintaining the Officer's Record Book, recording patroller attendance and performance.
• Reporting any problems to the Patrol Supervisor.
• Chairing patroller meetings.

Team Coordinator/Assistant

The team coordinator is responsible for:

• Taking charge of the street crossing points.
• Reporting any problems to the Team Leader.
• Taking over the duties of the Team Leader when required.
• Ensuring the appearance of the patrollers is within guidelines.
• Acting as secretary at the patrol meetings.
• Recording information which will identify vehicles threatening safety at the crossing.

Patrollers

The patrollers are responsible for:

• Ensuring safe crossing for fellow students.
• Teaching safe crossing procedures to fellow students.
• Recording information which will identify vehicles threatening safety at the crossing
• Preparing to assume the duties of the Team Coordinator.

School Principal/School

Unless the principal is also the Patrol Supervisor, they will not be involved in the day-to-day operation of the Patrols. However, the principal's support of the School Patrol program will play a vital role in the success of the program within the school. The overall importance of the School Safety Patrols within the school is directly affected by the ability of the principal to convey that message to the student body. It is the responsibility of the School Principle to provide the teacher/supervisor for the program.

Teacher/Supervisor

Directly responsible for the School Safety Patrols, the Supervisor guides the patrols through their day-to-day activities through scheduling, trouble-shooting, support, and direct supervision of the Patrol at the crossing on a regular basis. Teacher/Supervisors are also responsible for ordering equipment through the Alberta Motor Association.

Alberta Motor Association and School Patrol Coordinators

The Alberta Motor Association provides, through the School Patrol Coordinators, the necessary coordination between the school, the police and the AMA to set up a School Safety Patrol. The Coordinators provide training to the Teacher/Supervisor, police and the patrols, where necessary or required. When requested by schools, the necessary equipment, supplies, on-site evaluation and support of patrollers is also provided. When possible, the AMA will provide crests, certificates and other incentives, and appropriate media coverage to support the School Patrol program. The AMA, through its coordinators, also provides the co-ordination and funding of regional School Patrol camps.

AMA SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL MEMBERS PLEDGE

• Report for duty on time,
• Perform my duties faithfully,
• Strive to prevent accidents, always setting a good example myself,
• Obey my teachers and officers of the patrol,
• Report dangerous practices of students, and
• Strive to earn the respect of fellow students.