Parents and mayor press board on field access, safety; security staff report describes 28 armed retired-officer guards

Residents and the mayor used the March 24 Garfield Public School District meeting to press the board about public access to the new athletic complex, parking and safety. Board and staff updates documented ongoing facilities work and security measures.

Safety and access concerns: Several residents and Mayor Everett Garnto Jr. told the board that an outside club has been using district fields heavily and that residents are not getting promised access to walk the complex. "This is an entity that came from South Jersey ... they're charging astronomic prices ... and it's not even Garfield kids," Mayor Garnto said during public comment. Multiple speakers urged the board to reopen portions of the complex to city residents and to address a recent traffic/parking pattern they called hazardous for students.

Security staffing and training: Garfield’s security leadership briefed the board on daily operations and personnel. Glenn Matty, a district safety specialist, and a colleague reported the district’s security staff currently includes 28 armed retired-law-enforcement officers, one unarmed staffer, five part-time staff and two evening staff. They listed training in retired police officer (RPO) certification, active‑shooter response, CPR, Stop the Bleed, behavioral threat assessment and visitor-management systems. The staff said they are transitioning to a cloud-based camera system and replacing analog radios with digital communications.

Facility projects and park ranger role: Facilities updates at the meeting said vendors are secured for gym improvements, a batting tunnel and a backstop extension; the agenda included financing for athletic-complex lighting that would be covered through the approved budget. The administration said a park‑ranger position has been hired to be the complex’s on-site monitor; the superintendent described the ranger role as an unarmed set of eyes to help make daytime and evening public access safer when the district opens portions of the facility.

Board and administration response: The superintendent urged cooperation with the mayor and council on shared services and said he would press for short-term measures while longer shared-service or site-work solutions are developed. The facilities director said the district is filing paperwork with the Schools Development Authority for an additional roughly $1 million in capital funding to prioritize maintenance and upgrades.

Next steps: The board approved facilities agenda items on March 24 for routine work orders and contract actions; administration representatives said they will prioritize short‑term traffic and parking solutions and provide updates on the athletic complex’s public‑access plan once the park‑ranger onboarding and safety protocols are complete.