Must a city with a population of less than 850,000 use the Child Safety Fund for a school crossing guard program if the city operates one?

Using the Child Safety Fund for a school crossing guard program is indeed required for cities with a population of less than 850,000 that operate such a program. The Child Safety Fund is specifically designed to enhance the safety of children, particularly in regard to transportation and school environments. One of the essential uses of these funds is to provide resources for school crossing guards, which directly supports the safety of children as they travel to and from school.

Cities falling under this population threshold are obligated to allocate funds appropriately to ensure that their school crossing guard programs are effectively maintained. This not only benefits the children by improving their safety during school hours but also aligns with broader community safety mandates.

The idea that other conditions might apply, such as mandates from law or funding from the state, does not negate the city's responsibility to use available funds for such critical safety measures, reinforcing the importance of these programs in protecting children regardless of external funding situations.