Police work and schools

One of the best things about being a police officer is the variety. While patrol work is challenging and is the main focus of any department, there are a plethora of other assignments and roles in our agency – SWAT, detectives, supervision, bicycle officers, training coordinators, firearms instructors and many others.

After 24 years, that variety has led people like me to still look forward to each day at work.

One of the finest opportunities I ever had as an officer was to work in schools. For five years, I served as a DARE officer, working with fifth graders on decision-making skills. Later, I was lucky to be a school-resource officer for three years, working at the high school as part of the administrative team. I learned about kids, law enforcement’s role in young peoples’ lives, and the relationship between the school district and the police department. I also took away a better understanding of management, organizations and working with change.

For many years, Kent P.D. had Officer Dave Buck assigned to the schools, and his salary was reimbursed to the City by the Kent School District. That position was part of difficult budget cuts by the district over a year ago.

Our department sought and received a three-year federal grant, as part of the federal Stimulus Package to place two school-resource officers in the district. At the same time, Edward Lee Vargas started as the new superintendent, and we saw an opportunity to forge new partnerships.

Last week, officer John Crane starts his assignment as the new school resource officer, or SRO, at Kent-Meridian High School and Mill Creek Middle School. This fall, after annexation the Panther Lake annexation is effective on July 1, Officer Howard Engledow will start as the SRO at Kentridge High School and Meridian Middle School.

The placement of the SRO’s is part of our department’s enhanced partnership with the District. For the past four months, Lt. Ken Thomas has been spending part of his work week helping to formulate, design and enhance a completely new security framework at the School District, aimed at overall student and staff safety rather than just security.

One of the key differences between conventional law enforcement and school-based police officers is their focus. Instead of just enforcing the law and providing service, there is a more comprehensive approach aimed at providing a safe environment for learning. Students who do not feel safe aren’t going to learn. That safe environment is the real goal of administrators, staff, and the school resource officers.

Lt. Thomas has been working with District administrators and safety officers to completely overhaul their system – looking at what works, what doesn’t, and not assuming that it’s right just because “we have always done it that way.” The result has been a top-down reevaluation of the district’s safety function.

This is how government should work – challenging the status quo, building partnerships, and working together to learn from each other. Part of that new approach has also involved a pilot program at two Kent elementary schools called GREAT, or Gang Resistance Education and Training.

GREAT is not all about gangs, but is a program aimed at improving decision-making and resisting peer pressure. GREAT is being delivered by two veteran officers who bring the credibility and personal experiences of their careers with them to fifth-grade classrooms. During the pilot, the enthusiasm of the officers, the students and the teachers has, so far, exceeded our expectations.

We wanted to bring you up-to-date on a few of the things we’re doing to build good relationships with young people. We want more kids to be making the right decisions because that will help us secure the future for our entire community.

For every kid who gets into trouble, or who sets a bad public example, there are many, many more who are doing the right things each day.

Have a great week.