Dozens of students gathered at the playground of their Melrose school to demand for better safety measures.

Those safety measures include more cameras, police patrols and better street lighting. Teachers and parents of students at P.S. 157 have been calling for this since last month, when a student at a neighboring charter school was fatally shot in the school’s playground.

Concerned members of the school community held signs and chanted on school grounds, saying that kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe at school. Teachers tell News 12 that other incidents during school hours where their cars were broken into are another sign that security needs to be improved.

“I feel safe when I’m inside the school but when I’m outside the school I don’t feel safe,” said third-grader Aiden. “I’ve heard about a lot of crime happening near our school. School should be safe I never see police outside and I think they should be here to protect us.”

The school is just a 20-minute walk from where Monday’s shooting took place on East 149th Street. They say they hope the rally raises awareness to the NYPD to aid in their request for a safer environment.

The NYPD provided the following statement to News 12:

"The Commanding Officer is aware of the condition and is working to correct it. Patrols around the school will be increased."