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The Kentucky Center for
School Safety, in partnership with the Kentucky
Association of School Resource Officers, the Crime
Prevention and DARE Associations, sponsored the
fourth annual Kentucky Safe Schools and Communities
Conference for law enforcement officers who work
in schools on June 17-20 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
This year the conference included nationally and
state known presenters on areas useful to school
resource officers in our school systems. Some of the
presentations included: law enforcement guides to
social networking, crisis management, crime
prevention through environmental design, DARE
Lessons and Curriculum Updates, and much more.
During the conference SRO awards were given to
outstanding officers: |
Kenny Collins
National SRO of theYear
Pictured:Calloway County High School Assistant
Principal Brian Wilmurth, CCHS Resource
Officer Kenny Collins, CCHS Principal Yvette
Pyle, CCHS Athletic Director Bill Cowan |
Overall SRO of the Year Award
Dennis McDonald, St. Mathews Police
Department
SRO at Waggener Traditional High School
Officer McDonald has been a leader amongst School
Resource Officers throughout the community of
Jefferson County and the state of Kentucky.
Throughout his eleven years at Waggener Traditional
High School, Officer McDonald has served as the
president of the Kentucky Association of School
Resource Officers and he has trained over 400 School
Resource Officers throughout the state. More
important than his Kentucky SRO service, has been
his service to the students and staff of Waggener
Traditional High School. Officer McDonald has worked
tirelessly over the past decade to make Waggener one
of the safest schools in the state of Kentucky.
Officer McDonald has produced such a safe and
effective school climate that he has successfully
sent both of his children to Waggener Traditional
High School. He is a leader, mentor, friend,
teacher, and police officer to all the stakeholders
in the Waggener community. |
Presidents Award
Michael Grigsby, Somerset PD
Pulaski County Schools
Detective Grigsby started in Pulaski County Schools
in January 2004. He made the transition not only
easy but provided a beneficial service to our entire
school district. It has been said that he is always
willing to take time to talk to students, staff and
parents about what ever issues or concerns they
have. He has assumed such an active role whether
talking to Kindergarten students about the dangers
of strangers and his job as a police officer or
teaching high school students about the dangers of
drunk driving and substance abuse. Detective Grigsby
addresses problems as they arise and sees them
through to conclusion. He has been every active in
developing new ways to keep our school and students
safe as well as new and innovative programs to
educate both staff and students. Part of the
programs current success in the Pulaski County
Schools must be attributed to the hard work and
sacrifice Detective Grigsby has given. |
Rookie of the Year
Award
Jamie Brooks, Jefferson Co. SO
Jefferson County Sheriffs Office
Deputy Jamie Brooks joined the SRO unit in July 2006
as a temporary assignment. He was assigned to a
year-round school in Jefferson County. With patience
and understanding, Deputy Brooks was able to quickly
establish himself into the school and truly become a
mentor to the students and develop solid
relationships with teachers and staff. After the
first month of being assigned to Liberty High
School, Deputy Brooks recovered a handgun and made
numerous arrests for drugs that were being sold on
school property. His service to Jefferson County and
Liberty High School is unsurpassed. |
Lifetime Achievement
Award
Jerry Crowder, Boone Co. SO
Deputy Crowder served in the U.S. Army from
1964-1970 where he served as a military policeman.
From 1971-1977 he was a member of the Erlanger
Police Department where he was promoted to Sergeant
and was active in Crime Prevention Programs. From
1978-1994 Jerry was a member of the Boone County
Police Department where he was a road patrolman
before becoming a full time crime prevention officer
and one of the first D.A.R.E. officers in the
county. During all of this time Jerry was able to
raise a family and graduate from Thomas More College
with a degree in Criminal Justice. Jerry continued
his career in public programs and crime prevention
and went on to become a polygraph examiner for the
agency before retiring in 1994. In 2000 Jerry was
employed by the Boone County Sheriff Department and
currently serves as a School Resource Officer where
he excels. Jerry is indeed a credit to this agency,
the law enforcement profession, and has always had a
positive and respectful influence on anyone he ever
worked with. |
Region 1
Karen Garland, Calloway Co. SO
Calloway County Middle School
Officer Garland has been the school resource officer
at Calloway County Middle School for a total of
eight years. During her stay here she has been a
vital cog in the administrative wheel. She assists
with monitoring middle school lunches in order to be
readily available for students. She also was a part
of the discipline team and has been a key member in
establishing the “Goals for Success” campaign during
which she contacted many businesses in the community
to help support our theme through donations. She
also helped work on the school Lockdown Procedures,
making sure all areas of safety were covered.
Officer Garland has developed a close rapport with
the student body that enables her to gain their
trust and make a successful SRO program. |
Region 2
Glenn Woodard, Warren Co. Sheriffs Office
Warren Central High School
Officer Woodard has been an SRO for one year, but
his accomplishments and contributions are numerous.
One of the most outstanding contributions Officer
Woodard has made to our school has been the role
model he exhibits for the student body. He is truly
a man of his word. He is friendly, firm, consistent,
and always honest with students. He is very
approachable and spends many hours talking with
students and trying to help them with their
immediate problems as well as good decision making
for their future. He is visible throughout the day
as well as at our night activities. He has earned
the respect from our staff and student body. Many
times our parents call to request his opinions or
suggestions on how to handle a situation. He will go
beyond the call of duty and sets high expectations
for himself. He works very well with the
administration and has become a true team player.
|
Region 3
Steve Wise, Louisville Metro PD
Meyzeek Middle School
Officer Wise has served as SRO for the past two
years. He is well respected throughout the building
amongst parents, students and staff. In his two
years at Meyzeek, the discipline activity has
decreased by 25 to 30%. With the support of our
staff and administration, Officer Wise has been able
to positively use his presence as a LMPD officer to
make connections with the student body. Staff
members know that Officer Wise will quickly come to
their aid in times of need. |
 Region
4
James Sticklen, Alexandria PD
Campbell County Schools
This individual has literally dedicated the past
five years of his life to young people throughout
Campbell County as the full time School Resource
Officer in the fifth largest Middle School in the
State of Kentucky. In his first year he effectively
reduced the schools truancy rate by 65% and today
they have one of the highest attendance records in
their history. He works tirelessly with school
administrators, teachers and staff to provide a
better quality environment for our young people to
grow and learn. He becomes that positive influence
at every opportunity possible. He has performed
hundreds of personal home visits talking with
parents, guardians, social workers and counselors
working vigorously to keep the child in school and
when he succeeds, he works even harder keeping a
constant vigil over the progress of the child. He
has identified child abuse, assisted in placement
and even prevented suicides because of his faith in
young people. One young man states that if it were
not for this Officer, he might not ever have become
a senior in high school. It is because of his
outstanding work that many young people are
graduating high school today; people who might have
otherwise slipped off into obscurity. He became
their adversary at first and then grew to become
their coach, mentor and guide through the rough
periods of their lives. It is impossible to describe
adequately here the positive affect he has had on
hundreds if not thousands of lives in our community.
School administrators say he has become an
invaluable asset in the Campbell County Schools and
he is more than invaluable to our police department.
|
Region 5
RD Porter, West Carter High School |
Region 6
Kenny Upchurch, Pulaski Co. SO
Southwestern High School
Deputy Upchurch is a veteran law enforcement officer
and has been with the Pulaski County for the past
seven years. Deputy Upchurch is at Southwestern High
School. He is very respectful towards students,
staff, and all those he comes in contact with.
Deputy Upchurch upholds confidentiality, therefore
building trust and maintaining relationships with
all those he assists. He is a friendly face, which
shows concern for all. You may see him helping with
traffic management, patrolling parking lots, or
monitoring the halls. He also serves as a resource
for teachers as a classroom presenter teaching our
students about the dangers of drugs. Deputy Upchurch
is available to help with possible legal issues and
is truly an asset to Southwestern High School. |
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