CAMDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 

Security          
Department

          
201 N. Front Street, Camden, NJ 08102, Tel.: 856.966.2101/2102 Fax: 856.966.2144
8568856856856966856.966.2522 85856.966.222 856.966.2522

B. LeFra Young, Ph. D.

Superintendent
To: Mr. Leon Freeman, Interim School Bd. Adm.
Security
Thomas Hewes-Eddinger From: Mr. Thomas Hewes-Eddinger, Chief of Security
Chief of Security

Josephine Garcia
Date: December 16, 2008
Operations Officer
Re: Bi-weekly Report of Security Department Activity-
Pamela Christy December 2, 2008—December 23, 2008
Clerk
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 attended a security staff meeting at Catto School
                
concerning badges and handcuffs.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 responded to a school lock down at Wiggins and

Fetters Elementary due to a homicide outside of Wiggins. On Tuesday, December 9,
2008, NJ State Police performed narcotics sweeps in the area at our request.

Thursday, December 4, 2008 issued a redeployment of the Operations Officers

into an oversight capacity of designated schools.

Monday, December 8, 2008 met with Principal Richards at Woodrow Wilson

High School.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 met with Ms. Jamal the Principal at Camden
High School and a team from the Superintendent’s office headed by Asst. Superintendent
Dr. Davida Coe-Brockington. I told the team that any security deployment plan needed
the full participation of school staff, security personnel and students to be successful. I
was told there was not enough security or staff to handle the volume of students. I
advised that any staff could be expanded by due diligence in being pro active in the
monitoring room, hallways, dead zones, the outside perimeter of the school and larger
gathering areas like the cafeteria and auditorium. They should close off and lock any
areas not in use. I was told the recent disruptions at Camden High School were due to a
decreased security staff and an increase in the number of adult students and because of a
“mad rush of intoxicated students” thru the front door past security at 8:45am. I was
given the names of five (5) security officers Ms. Jamal felt were not doing their jobs and
I was asked to transfer them. I explained to her (as I had already told other Principals
who had called and asked a similar question) that I would not transfer a chronic problem
employee to another school and another Principal. I told her that Administrative staff
needed to document the employees conduct and to pass it up the Chain of Command for
progressive discipline. I further advised Ms. Jamal to place staff at the front entrance of
the school to counter the “mad rush”, corral those students and have the school nurse
evaluate them. I promised I would personally evaluate the assigned staff and see about
increasing the level of security staff. Again, I told the team that a concerted effort of
security and staff needed to work together.
 When leaving, I walked some of the hallways during class and observed students
talking on cell phones and simply wondering around. I was advised that the only two
Camden Police Officers assigned to Camden High were monitoring the in-school
suspension class in the basement. Outside I saw students sitting on walls on both
parking lot and Baird Blvd. side of the school.

Thursday, December 11, 2008 met with Operations Officer Josephine Garcia.
She has contacted most of the schools concerning the backlog of incident reports.
Cramer School is the only school refusing to reissue the reports to the security
department citing that they have already supplied them thru their Chain of Command. In
addition, we identified each officer and their assigned location. Any problems found
were referred to Human Resources for clarification.

Friday, December 12, 2008 I spoke at length with Human Resource Director Ms.
Ayala and the Board’s labor Attorney seeking clarification on procedures for discipline,
year ending employee evaluations, and increasing qualifications for new hires. I also
spoke with Rafael Haciski, Policy Attorney for the Board, and reference to Board
procedures on policy making for issues of Title Change for officers, use of force, training
and uniforms.

Monday, December 15, 2008 I was called to a meeting with the Superintendent,
Deputy Superintendent and the same team headed by Asst. Superintendent Dr. Coe-
Brockington in reference to the recent incidents of violence at Camden High. The
Superintendent criticized them for a poor deployment plan of staff and security at
Camden High. She criticized me for the deployment of the Operations Officers,
speaking to the Attorney’s on procedural matters, requesting any transfer and speaking
with Principals. The team spoke of the same problems at Camden High School that they
advised me on last week. No one asked for my opinion or requested I compose a
Security Plan for the school. The Superintendent instructed Dr. Coe-Brockington to
meet with her team and compose a deployment plan for school staff and security
personnel, be prepared to inform the Board of the plan at the regular meeting on
December 16, 2008 and implement the plan by January 2, 2009. Keep in mind, no one
has asked for my input.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 I met with Mr. Jim Doyle from CM3. They will be
removing three (3) existing cameras and DVR from the warehouse and reinstalling them
in the annex at Camden High School and adding them to the Open Eye System.

In addition, I met with Chief Scott Thompson at Camden Police Department. I

asked for some added patrol and narcotics enforcement around Wiggins and Fetters
Schools. I also asked for narcotics enforcement around Farnham Park between 8:00am
—9:00am Monday through Friday.

I also met with Ms. Wright concerning issues of employees with serious health issues
and their ability to perform their duties. I needed advice on procedures.

On Wednesday, December 17, 2008 I am meeting with Mr. Bell, Vice Principal at
Bonsall Elementary reference to security and personnel issues.

I will also be meeting with Mr. Steve Nicolella this week reference to the 2009-
2010 budget.