Careers in Criminal Justice: Becoming a Crossing Guard

Crossing guards are essential players in maintaining the safety of children who are walking or bicycling. Crossing guards are responsible for helping children cross the street at potentially dangerous intersections near schools. They are sometimes first on the scene of an accident, and must be able to respond appropriately. Crossing guards spend most of their time interacting with parents and children, so individuals interested in this position should enjoy spending time with children, and have good interpersonal skills.

 

Individuals who have retired from a law enforcement job, such as police work, and who have experience as a law enforcement or security officer may wish to work in this related field. Becoming a crossing guard is also a good option for individuals looking for part-time work. An individual interested in becoming a crossing guard should have good vision, and be able to get around easily and to stand for extended periods of time.

A crossing guard’s primary responsibility is to ensure that pedestrians can cross the street safely. Crossing guards are provided with equipment, usually including a hand-held stop sign and a vest or jacket to increase their visibility and identify them as a crossing guard.

 

Crossing guards are responsible for reporting unsafe or suspicious behaviors, unsafe road conditions, and damaged signs. Crossing guards do not direct traffic unless specifically trained and assigned to do so. However, they may stop traffic to allow people to cross.

 

Crossing guards also provide children with information about traffic safety. The crossing guard should encourage children to cross the street safely, and encourage all pedestrians to set a good example. When working with children, crossing guards may need to undergo a background or criminal records check, and are expected to serve as positive role models for children.

Crossing guards may be volunteers or paid employees, depending on the location and funding availability. Crossing guards in paid positions are most often paid on a per diem (day-to-day) or hourly basis. Compensation can vary, but a crossing guard can expect to make between $17,000 and $30,000 annually for a daily shift of several hours.

There is no universal education requirement to become a crossing guard. However, some training is necessary to ensure the crossing guard is able to perform his or her job properly. Most crossing guard training involves a combination of classroom and field training. Crossing guards must be familiar with safe crossing procedures, as well as with the traffic patterns in the particular area in which they are stationed. Crossing guards should also be trained in the proper ways to teach traffic safety to children. Training may be followed by a written exam.

 

Crossing guards may be required to deal with emergency situations, such as an accident, and training from particular employers will include familiarizing a crossing guard with appropriate emergency protocol. For example, if a pedestrian is hit by a car, a crossing guard should prevent other children from crossing, and alert traffic to the injured pedestrian to protect the person from further injury. Though a first aid or CPR course is advisable, crossing guards are not trained medical professionals. However, they are often first on the scene and must be able to remain calm and make sure emergency personnel are contacted.

If an individual is interested in law enforcement, jobs as a crossing guard may be a good first experience toward a career as a school resource officer, a traffic enforcement specialist, or a community action officer. Individuals may even move to other areas of jobs in criminal justice, such as security officer or police officer. However, further education and training is necessary to advance to these positions.

For individuals who wish to become crossing guards, the following groups and associations can provide additional information: