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SROs build relationships, serve as role models

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By: LISA MARCHESONI, Special to the Post

Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2011 5:50 am

SROs build relationships, serve as role models | Citizens Academy, RCSO, Rutherford County

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold selects a sheriff’s toy for a boy during the “Shop with a Sheriff” event. (Photo submitted)

This is the final of a series of stories about the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy at Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. The academy is for citizens interested in learning more about the sheriff’s office. The academy is free and lasts 16 weeks. The next class starts Jan. 19. For more information, contact Deputy Greg Dotson at 904-3033.

School Resource Officer Kerry Nelson measures his day in hugs from elementary school students at Stewartsboro and Stewarts Creek elementary schools.

By building relationships with students in elementary schools, the SROs hope to extend positive relationships with students in middle and high schools. The SROs serve as role models.

“You get real attached to these little critters,” Nelson said in describing “the best thing in police work.”

Nelson is one of 44 SROs at Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office who build relationships with students from kindergarten through high school in Rutherford County’s schools. SROs, who are all certified law enforcement officers, provide law enforcement, informal counseling and education.

Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office and Rutherford County Schools initiated the SRO program in 1993, the first in Tennessee. The K-5 SROs split between two elementary schools apiece while middle schools have one SRO and high schools have two SROs. The program has earned national awards.

In the law enforcement phase, the SROs primary responsibility is to maintain safety at school with preplans for school safety and fire safety.

During this academic year, the SROs have handled four major incidents at schools including:

• A lockdown at Stewart’s Creek when a man walked near the campus while armed with a gun.

• A bomb threat at Oakland High School.

• Several gas leaks at Brown’s Creek Elementary.

• A grandparent arrested after allegedly threatening the principal at Lake Elementary School.

Nelson noted three of the responses were at the elementary schools, demonstrating the need for SROs at all levels of education.

For the education phase, SROs teach a variety of classes geared to the age level. Classes include bullying, diversity, drugs and alcohol, gateway drugs, addictions and prevention of rape and sexual assaults.

In the education realm after school hours, the SROs sponsor the Teen Education Alcohol Management to deter teen alcohol consumption. Operation Integrity is a program to address behavioral problems by teaching personal responsibility, respect and a positive work ethic. Parents are also required to attend sessions as well.

SROs frequently counsel students with individual concerns. For example, children may be affected by parents divorcing.

Nelson tries to build relationships with students by attending extracurricular events. While an SRO at Blackman High School, he attended drama practice, golf games, archery competition and tennis matches.

“I’m going after kids who struggle to find a place,” Nelson noted.

Two students at Blackman changed his life. One was a wheelchair bound student with muscular dystrophy who depended on Nelson several times a day for hygiene. The student complained only one time about the pain he endured. Instead, he dreamed of running again.

His “dying was the worst thing that ever happened to me in 30 years of law enforcement,” Nelson said.

In another instance, Nelson felt like he made a difference when he attended a swim meet of a student about to be adopted. Her biological mother was supposed to attend the meet but didn’t show up. The girl ended up stealing cars and landing in Juvenile Court. He encouraged her and challenged her to do better.

He encountered the girl later after she attended Motlow College and changed her life, giving Nelson credit for encouraging her to change.

Because of the former student’s comments, Nelson knows he’s doing “the best thing in police work.”

Tagged under Citizens Academy, RCSO, Rutherford County

Member Opinions:

By: thankyouforsmoking on 12/13/11
Why is it the Sheriff that's always featured in the paper? If this article is about SRO's how about recognizing and photographing some of them? By now, we all know what the Sheriff looks like.

By: postlooker22 on 12/14/11
good question.

Another question is why Robert Arnold is in charge when, he backs money launderers and supports them receiving a relaxed sentence for no other reason than he is a family friend, he supports police officers giving 'common courtesy' to drinking and driving police officers, he also thinks people in jail only deserve two meals a day.

Now i realize that might not seem like a big deal because who cares about people in jail. But i have a friend in jail for the charge of, underage drinking. And yes that means Sheriff Arnold thinks these people should only eat twice.

By: postlooker22 on 12/14/11
The best thing he has done was fire Officer Killings.

By: BlackHawk93 on 12/14/11
Yeah, Mayor Burgess is making sure everytime anything is written about the sheriff's office, Arnold's picture is plastered on the page. Note that it was one of these "role modeling" SRO's who was pulled over for doing 99 mph after drinking and driving. That's not the kind of role model I want for my kids and I dont think anyone else does either.

By: thankyouforsmoking on 12/15/11
@Postlooker22- State law only requires that inmates be fed twice a day, and only one of those meals has to be hot. Whether they're fed twice a day or thrice a day, there are still dietary and caloric guidelines that must be met. I think that if you're sentenced to serve jail time you should only eat twice a day unless you perform some job/service for the facility, then you could earn that third meal.

By: protector on 12/16/11
I love Mr. Nelson, I taught at LaVergne High back in the mid 90's and he would come to my Biology Class and discuss real life situations and issues with drugs, alcohol, etc. Students respected his discussion.

SRO officers are extremely effective in all schools. In the middle schools, they build such a good rapport with them. When the students learn of drug usage from others they go to them. SRO officers know what's up in the schools due to their positive interaction with the student body.

On a recent tour of the RCS youth detection center, it was stated that during the school year occupancy was higher due to warrants being served by them and being on the job, per say, in the schools.

This is a most wonderful program in RCS and they all have my upmost respect. Thank you SRO officiers for making our students feel safe at school with your presence and providing positive role models from our children.

By: protector on 12/17/11
I also think the world of the SRO at WBMS. You Rock!