Crossing guards in Delaware County town to wear body cameras

Crossing guards in a town in Delaware County, Pennsylvania are now equipped with a new piece of equipment to keep them safe.

The East Lansdowne Police Department shared in a news release that they are providing each guard with body-worn cameras.

This comes just a month after a violent attack on a crossing guard in Darby.

The incident occurred back on Monday, March 16, around 3:50 p.m. outside Walnut Street Elementary School at the intersection of South 6th and Walnut streets.

Darby Police Chief Joe Gabe said that investigators believe a man, now identified as  29-year-old Rashiem Russell of West Philadelphia, became impatient with the guard who had stopped traffic for kids on a bus.

Russell apparently blew his horn and revved his engine before storming out of his vehicle and approaching the guard.

Video obtained by NBC10 shows Russell running after the crossing guard on the sidewalk. He then briefly stops and stands in front of her. Russell then punches the crossing guard in the face, knocking her to the ground, before running off.

“There were children standing right there and he proceeded to assault a woman who was doing her job,” Risa Desilva-King, the CEO of Safe Corridors, the company that employed the crossing guard, told NBC10. “Completely unacceptable. Completely.”

Desilva-King said the crossing guard — who is in her 30s — resigned from her job after the attack. She also said the victim suffered a concussion.

The U.S. Marshal Service arrested Russell days later, on March 20, in South Carolina. He is charged with aggravated assault and other related offenses.

A man was taken into custody in South Carolina for an attack on a crossing guard in Darby Borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville has the story. 

East Lansdowne Police said the benefits of guards wearing body cameras include: Increased safety and security for students during crossings, added protection and transparency, enhanced accountability and documentation of incidents and strengthened trust between the community and public safety personnel.

“Our Crossing Guards play a critical role in keeping our children safe every day. This investment ensures they have the tools they need to continue serving with professionalism and vigilance,” East Lansdowne Police wrote.