‘Pretend They’re Your Kids:’ Crossing Guard Reflects On Working Tough Intersection

For nearly a decade, Jose Acevedo stood steady at one of Bristol Borough’s busiest crossroads. But after nine years of braving the elements and navigating aggressive traffic, the longtime crossing guard has hung up his reflective vest.

The Bristol Borough Council honored Acevedo earlier this week and presented him with a formal proclamation to recognize his service.

Acevedo worked as a crossing guard for the police department from Sept. 26, 2016, to Dec. 8, 2025.

The proclamation noted Acevedo’s “extraordinary and faithful nine years of service” and thanked him for his role in “always keeping Bristol Borough children safe.”

Acevedo was tasked with the intersection of Buckley and Beaver streets. He simultaneously managed three different crossing points for students arriving from multiple directions.

“He’s on that corner at Buckley and Beaver every day. And that’s a tough corner,” Chief of Police Joe Moors said. “I just want everybody to know Jose had three intersections and the children crossing from three different locations. They don’t always go slow in them school zones along Beaver Street and Pond Street.”

Acevedo, who attended the council meeting wearing a special T-shirt gifted to him by a student he had crossed from first through sixth grade, admitted the decision to retire was a difficult one and due to the toll the cold weather was taking on his health.

“I’ve got a lot of great kids,” Acevedo said. “It’s not something that I wanted to do, but this weather’s really affecting me, so I just decided to end it. But I miss it. I miss the kids. I miss the parents and all that that goes with it.”

In his comments, Acevedo noted a troubling shift in driver behavior.

The former crossing guard highlighted national statistics to illustrate the dangers of the job, noting that 120 crossing guards were killed on duty in the country between 1993 and 2008, an average of eight fatalities per year.

He attributed the danger primarily to distracted and aggressive drivers.

“The last couple years, some of the drivers are really aggressive,” Acevedo said. “We’ve had drivers go around or they don’t come to a complete stop to keep creeping at you.”

While Acevedo expressed gratitude for the support of the local police department, he left with a plea for those behind the wheel.

“For the drivers,” Acevedo said, “just pretend they’re your kids.”