By Stephen Appezzato
RED BANK – After four months on the job, Joey Fields talked with The Two River Times recently about his role as the first Class III School Resource Officer (SRO) to serve in borough schools.
The Class III designation refers to special police officers who are hired specifically to provide security to public schools.
The borough council passed a resolution last September advocating for the hiring of Class III SRO officers for borough schools. The council later initiated a Shared Service Agreement with the borough board of education authorizing the initiative.
In New Jersey, SROs are armed, retired police officers who undergo specific training to prepare them for school protective duty. Fields, who retired from the Red Bank Police Department as a sergeant with nearly three decades on the job, was hired as the borough’s first SRO last December.
Fields completed his specialized SRO training years before armed SROs were approved in the borough’s public schools. “It was discussed before I retired, so I went and took the course and got the training to become an SRO,” he said.
After his retirement from the police force in 2020, “The chief had reached out to me to see if I was interested in coming back to work as a school resource officer, so I thought about it,” Fields said.
When the borough council approved the position, Fields was fast-tracked into the job. Initially, he split his time between the primary and middle schools. Now, he’s in the middle school five days a week as Red Bank hired another SRO for its primary school.
A lifelong borough resident, Fields spent his entire career with the Red Bank Police Department For him, the decision to return to public service was an easy one.
“I didn’t want to do it unless it was in Red Bank. I went to both the schools that I worked in; I attended both the schools growing up, the primary school and the middle school,” he explained. “I said if I did it anywhere, it would be Red Bank.”
According to the World Population Review, since 1970 the United States has recorded over 2,000 school shootings, impacting every state. Roughly 20 percent of these shootings occurred from 2020-22.
Over the past 10 years, in response to the alarming rate of school shootings and gun violence across the country, communities across New Jersey have approved the presence of armed Class III officers in public schools.
For many districts, the decision is a contentious one, inspiring debates about student safety and raising questions regarding the presence of guns in public schools and the psychological effects on children.
To qualify for a Class III SRO position in New Jersey, candidates must be former New Jersey police officers and undergo specialized training.
“It (the training) was a little different, you know, because you’re used to doing one thing as an officer and dealing with people out on the street,” Fields said. But in his present role, Fields said, “You are here to oversee the security of the students, the staff, and the actual building.”
“I’m not here to police the kids, I’m not here to police the teachers,” he said.
“I am here if a threat comes to this school. That’s my job, to maintain the security of (this building and) everyone in this building.”
Making the students feel comfortable and gaining their trust is an important part of the job, Fields said. Ideally, students would feel comfortable openly voicing any concerns or questions with the SRO in a friendly and transparent atmosphere.
“I talk to (the kids). If they have any questions, they’re more than welcome to talk to me,” Fields said. “Any time I can interact with them I do, but all on a friendly basis. It’s not to say ‘Hey, stop running down the hall.’ ”
For Fields, the opportunity to protect the same schools that he attended as a child is rewarding.
“It’s a good feeling knowing that you went to the school yourself. Walking through these halls, there’s a lot of memories – I love that. Also just being connected, reconnecting with the community.”
Fields worked in various youth-facing positions throughout his time as a police officer, including serving as the borough’s D.A.R.E. officer, gang resistance officer and juvenile detective. Those experiences taught him how to work with children, Fields said, noting that some of the students he taught when he was a D.A.R.E officer are now co-workers in the middle school.
“Some of the staff members here remember me from being their D.A.R.E. officer, now they’re teachers,” he said. “I just love that connection.”
In reflecting on his time as Red Bank’s first Class III SRO, Fields wanted to thank the community and school that he serves for allowing him the opportunity to return to his childhood halls in this capacity, describing the experience as “an honor and a pleasure.” Fields emphasized that he is here for the children and their parents.
“If (parents) have any questions or any issues, if they see me, don’t be afraid or hesitant to approach me and ask me. I’m out there. I’m trying to make myself available if they need it, and I’m glad the town accepted (the proposal) to have this extra added security in schools,” Fields said.
The article originally appeared in the May 4 – 10, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
