MILLSTONE – A shared services agreement with neighboring Manalapan that provides the Millstone Township K-8 School District with one Class III special law enforcement officer has been renewed by the Board of Education for the 2019-20 school year.
The district includes the Millstone Township Primary School and the Millstone Township Elementary School at the same campus on Schoolhouse Road, and the Millstone Township Middle School on Dawson Court.
The board entered into the agreement because Millstone does not have its own police force. Regular police services in Millstone are provided by the New Jersey State Police.
Class III special officers are recently retired individuals who previously worked in law enforcement. The officers are authorized to carry a weapon while they are on duty.
Without providing specific information as to how the police officer will be deployed in the school district, administrators said that according to the terms of the agreement, the officer’s duties and the extent of those duties will be assigned by Manalapan Police Chief Michael Fountain in cooperation with Millstone Superintendent of Schools Christopher Huss or a designee.
The agreement between the school district and the Manalapan Police Department was initially approved for the 2018-19 school year. The upcoming 2019-20 academic year will be the second year of the agreement and it will renew annually for two additional one-year terms unless it is cancelled by either party.
According to the agreement, the officer will be under the supervision and direction of Fountain or another Manalapan superior officer, and will remain subject to all rules and regulations of the Manalapan Police Department. The officer will not be considered an employee of the Millstone school district or the school board.
The board will reimburse Manalapan for all costs incurred by Manalapan for services rendered by the officer in the school district. According to district administrators, the cost of the officer is budgeted at $40,000 for 2019-20.
