Former County Commissioner Rick Lohnes championed the school resource officer program.
There are 10 school resource officers in eight school districts across the county.
Clark County Sheriff’s Office Interim Chief Deputy Mike Young thanked school resources officers for being the first line of defense but also supporting students in other ways.
“You’re all aware of the tragedy that started last school year,” Young told the deputies. “You guys all teamed up to help build up, to help each other to help every student.”
Clark-Shawnee Local School District Superintendent Brian Kuhn thanked Deputy Josh Pacine for his work in a statement at the meeting.
“SRO Deputy Pacine has become woven into the fabric of our school operations. He has made countless connections with students, staff, and families that ultimately result in a positive impact to student success. SRO Deputy Pacine works to ensure student needs are met and serves as a positive role model to those with which he interacts,” Kuhn said. “... From a school leadership perspective, I do not see how we could ever go without the SRO program and everything these officers do to support our school communities.”
Tecumseh Local Schools Superintendent Paula Crew said that the district is fortunate to have resource officers Deputy John Loney and Deputy Nicholas Dillon.
“They routinely form positive relationships with out students, staff, parents, community, oftentimes collectively eliminating problems before they’ve escalated,” Crew said. “Our students have a trust and familiarity with our SROs, which encourages them to report safety or health concerns, seek guidance and prevent conflicts ...”
Northwestern Local School Principal Becky Kleinhenz thanked Deputy Bill Crump in a statement for his love for his job and support for the students.
“Because Deputy Crump is so wonderful, it is easy to express our deepest gratitude for his unwavering dedication and service,” she said. “Thank you, Deputy Crump, for keeping us safe, building trust, cultivating positive relationships and educating and guiding our students.”
Clark County Educational Services Center Superintendent Dan Bennett said student resource officer Deputy Spencer Wheeler works with many students with trauma-related behaviors, and he does it well. He said staff “really appreciates” all the work he does.
Northeastern Local Schools school resource officer Deputy Tyler Reaver “always goes above and beyond to establish a positive reform with students and staff,” an administrator said at the meeting. Deputy Megan Forrest joined the district recently and she worked quickly to adapt and build strong relationships with the district community.
Deputy Morgan Allen, Global Impact STEM Academy’s school resource officer, “consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that every student feels safe and supported with her unwavering commitment to our community,” an administrator said. She has created a sense of security and provides critical support.
Deputy Adam Anderson, school resource officer for the Springfield - Clark Career Technology Center, is well-respected among students and staff and has helped students develop a positive view of law enforcement, an administrator said. He has encouraged people to seek him out for conversation and has positively embedded himself into the district.
Deputy Vaughn Apel has served as school resource officer for Greenon since 2022, and commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt said she realized in a ride-along with the sheriff’s office that deputies often need to serve as social workers.