Open Letter: Former School Resource Officer Weighs In
Several major cities are not only talking about pulling police out of the schools- they're already doing it in cities like Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, and Portland.
It's crazy enough that we are hearing talk about de-funding the police, but now the Left wants to pull school resource officers out of our schools?
Last week on the radio, we talked about how well regarded these school resource officers are by the kids. I heard from a retired Billings police officer, and former School Resource Officer, who wanted to give his first-hand insight from someone who actually did the job. Hear his take below.
Open letter from retired Billings Police Department officer Mike Guy, who served as a School Resource Officer (SRO):
I was the West High SRO from 2004 - 2006. It was the best 2 years I had as a police officer. After a couple of months adjustment, the kids figured out that I really was there for their protection. I made countless arrests and rarely had a problem with the kids. Yes, I had to get physical with a few of them, but once they knew I wasn't going to give up, they did. I spent most days among the kids, and mean all of the kids, they all knew I didn't play favorites. They genuinely trusted me as many spent time in my office while I problem solved with them. Their problems and questions about life. I stopped a few suicides, and spent too many days going from door to door because someone overheard someone say that they were bringing a gun to school tomorrow. If someone did, I prayed that I was the first one to contact them so none of my kids got hurt. That's what I called them, my kids. One day, a student did bring a gun to school. He said he wanted to kill the Dean's and me. Because the kids trusted me, we had the info, the gun and the kid plucked out of the student body before 1st period was over. I went in 2 hours early the week of the Columbine anniversary to look for bombs and watch for anything unusual as the day went on. I busted my ass to make sure my kids were safe. That was 14 years ago and I still hear from some of those kids today. The relationship between a good SRO and the students and faculty is something to be treasured. Those screaming for reform the loudest have no idea what they are talking about and certainly could not pass the testing required to do the job. I just thought you would like to hear from someone that actually did the job.
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