School resource officers work to keep students safe

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Students in the area are gearing up to start this school year and there’s more to getting ready than stocking up on supplies and adjusting routines.

With safety a top priority, Western Mass News is getting answers on exactly what school resource officers are doing to help protect your students.

School resource officers are necessary in making sure that your kids are safe when they head to school, but parents might not be aware of the many things that make this job a lot more than just security. Mo Canady, the Executive Director of National Association of School Resource Officers, is helping to clear things up: “An SRO is not a door guard. We’re not just an armed presence in a school environment.”

In a day-and-age where tragedy dominates the headlines around school security, you aren’t alone if you find yourself even more nervous for the first day of school than your kids are.

It’s a feeling that mo. Canady, is aware of. Canady has been involved in student safety since 1999, and says that since then, security has become a top priority. “Not only does every school have the opportunity to have a school resource officer, but that those officers, again, are very carefully selected and specifically trained.”

That special training, going beyond what you might imagine. “That’s not just to combat an active assailant, but it’s the day-to-day issues that are going on in schools. The relationship building in that environment, the community-based policing approach, all of those things really matter in creating a safer school environment.” Canady added.

An environment where students feel comfortable reporting potentially dangerous situations, and one that, with an office covered in memorabilia, Chicopee School Resource Officer Mark Hammon has been curating for over 13 years. “The uniform says I’m a police officer, what I try to do is, don’t judge a book by its cover.” Said Hammon.

School resource officers, like Hammon, aim to bridge the gap between police and the youth, often serving as a mentor, or even a sports coach, rather than just a badge. He told us: “I have kids from way back to when I first started in 2012 that I still keep in touch with. My wife and I, we’ve gone out to dinner with [former] students that we still keep in touch with.”

And it’s those relationships that ensure even after the doors are locked and the daily checks are complete If an issue arises, Harmon wants parents to know that they’ll be there. “Building relationships, mentoring, being someone that they can turn to… As for parents, they should understand that we’re here for them.”