As another school year quickly approaches, parents are invited to learn about school safety in Manchester during the third in a six-part public safety series scheduled for Monday, August 11.

From 6 to 8 p.m. at the 21 Colonial Drive Ocean County Library branch location, Chief of Police Brian Klimakowski, Superintendent of Schools David Trethaway and School Resource Officer Chris Cerullo will talk about what steps law enforcement and school officials in Manchester are taking to protect students and faculty.

“With another school year just a month away, it’s important for parents to know what’s being done in our township schools to ensure students can learn in a safe environment,” said Chief Klimakowski.

In an effort to prevent violent incidents at schools within Manchester, education and police officials recently conducted security and safety assessments at each township school. Additionally, the Manchester Township Police hosted an ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) active school shooter training course in July.

Chief Klimakowski is a proponent of the ALICE method, as it increases survival rates during an active shooter situation by empowering students and staff to be proactive, rather than hunkering in place during a dangerous situation while awaiting the arrival of police. This topic, as well as what’s being done to combat bullying in Manchester, will be discussed at the safety session.

Upcoming sessions in the series will cover crime prevention, Internet safety, and driver and traffic safety. Each session will include a question and answer period.

A Public Safety representative will be on hand at each session to help residents enroll in the NIXLE emergency notification system. This system is used by officials in Manchester and throughout the state to instantly update residents about emergency situations through text message and email alerts. Online NIXLE registration is available through www.Manchesterpolicenj.com.

The other “Staying Safe in Manchester Township” library sessions are:

Monday, September 8
Crime Prevention
• This session will teach residents how they can avoid falling victim to scammers.

Monday, October 6
Internet Safety
• Information about preventing Cybercrime and a parents’ guide to Social Networking will be among the topics of discussion at this session.

Monday, November 17
Driver and Traffic Safety
• Officers will speak about staying safe on the roads and the initiatives aimed at preventing dangerous crashes.

Each “Staying Safe in Manchester Township” session is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., one Monday per month, and is open to all ages. Registration for each session is requested and can be completed by calling 732-657-7600 or visiting www.theoceancountylibrary.org. Those who attend all sessions will receive a certificate of completion.