In Denver, the folks in neon vests helping kids cross the street are now learning how to protect themselves too. Volunteer crossing guards are getting hands-on self-defense instruction from Denver police after a string of tense run-ins at school drop-off and pick-up. The new sessions blend verbal de-escalation with practical drills aimed at keeping guards and students safe while they wait for law enforcement to show up. Trainers and guards say the program is part of a broader push to shore up safety at some of the district’s busiest corners.
According to CBS Colorado, Denver police designed a defensive course and recently rolled it out to the district’s crossing-guard staff. Officer Roger Landeis, a DPD self-defense instructor, told the outlet, “This is crazy to me because these are volunteers that are trying to take their kids across the street,” pointing to confrontations guards have had with impatient drivers and parents at busy intersections. The district told CBS there are about 45 crossing guards, and staff said each one had faced at least one confrontation on the job.
The new course builds on earlier efforts. CPR News reported that about 50 Denver Public Schools crossing guards took part in de-escalation role-play last September at Bruce Randolph High School, practicing tone, active listening and scripted scenarios. CPR also noted crossing guards earn roughly $20 an hour, and many told trainers they want more backup from police and city transportation officials during chaotic pick-up times. Trainers said empathy and communication often cool tempers before things get physical.
What Guards Are Being Taught
Officers have told trainers to hammer home verbal tactics first, with guards urged to be loud, clear and assertive when asking drivers not to block crosswalks or park in no-stop zones. Physical self-defense is framed as a last resort when a situation turns genuinely threatening…