After a lapse in having the program, the Alliance Police Department has reinstated the School Resource Officer program at Alliance Public Schools, with Officer Tyler Sherlock serving in the role, providing a strong role model and positive interactions between law enforcement and youth.
APD Chief David Leavitt explained that the SRO program has been in Alliance for many years, with Sherlock heading up the program for the past couple of years, though there was a gap in the program.
“Due to dramatic shortages in officers, we had to kind of dip out as far as being able to do it on consistent basis,” said Leavitt. “During that time of not having an official SRO position, Tyler still stayed as active as he could in the schools and maintaining the relationships with the kids and going to different activities and school functions, and things like that. What we’ve proposed for this year, because our staffing is better—but we’re obviously still not where we need to be—is we’ve committed to the schools 50 percent. So the agreement is Tyler will spend at least, if not more, 50 percent of his time on SRO duties in the schools.”
Sherlock emphasized that the program is important to have at Alliance Public Schools because it aids in reducing juvenile crime.
“I know two years ago when I first started being the SRO, for juveniles, our crime was rampant,” said Sherlock. “If you look at the statistics, it seems like there was always some sort of juvenile crime happening. Once I got in the schools, I made it my mission to spend 90 to 95 percent at the school, whether it was the High School, Middle School, Grade Schools, and not just hanging out at the school. It was, say there’s a history class, well I go sit in the back of the class and just listen in to the lecture, go to Spanish class and interact with the kids in a non-police matter. So, then they start to see me as somebody more like a friend, or somebody that they can go to.”
Sherlock said spending time in the cafeteria during lunch is one area where students are able to interact with him, ask him a variety of questions and develop relationships, allowing Sherlock to serve more as a mentor. He said he has been able to help answer questions for a lot of students about the military, drawing on his experience of being in the Marine Corps.
“I’m able to offer insights about going to Boot Camp, how it is, transitioning into active duty, getting out of active duty, and those personal stories kids really enjoy,” Sherlock said. “Also, I’ve noticed building relationships with juveniles that are considered more frequent fliers, well their behavior becomes better over time. I also establish really good rapport with them, so if something does happen, it’s like, ‘Hey, knucklehead, why’d you do this?’ and they’re just like, ‘Oh, I made a mistake,’ and they start to learn, instead of having the reoccurring issues.”
Leavitt said it is worth noting that not every student in Alliance, nor in any city, has a happy and stable home situation. This program gives those students the opportunity to open up to officers and rely on them as a resource.
“For a lot of these kids, where mom and dad are gone all the time, working two jobs, domestic issues going on, or things like that in the home, for a lot of these kids that SRO becomes someone they can talk to about things they don’t have anyone at home they can talk to,” said Leavitt. “They may confide that their parents are using drugs, or they are being abused, or their sibling is being abused, or, ‘Hey, we don’t have enough food in our house to eat.’ Sometimes, he (Sherlock) can be a conduit to help.”
Sherlock noted that some of the biggest issues seen among juveniles include criminal mischief, such as destruction of property, and vaping.
“We’re starting to see more kids vaping,” said Sherlock. “Just because if parents vape, well vapes aren’t a one-time thing like a cigarette where you smoke it and now it’s gone. The vape is still there if mom or dad sets it down somewhere, a kid will see it, snag it, keep it, and the parents forget about it and they’ll just go buy another one. Well, now a kid is starting to vape, and then, obviously those things are highly addictive. We’ve seen a lot of kids get into vaping, which also leads into alcohol and other drug related issues.”
Sherlock explained that they are trying to develop an alternate path for youth who are struggling with vaping, drugs or alcohol, to not punish them with criminal charges, but instead provide them with the resources they need to overcome the habit and choose a different path.
Sherlock said he feels like he makes a difference most when he is able to help students in choosing the military for their future.
“College isn’t for everybody, and that’s kind of the hard thing to understand,” Sherlock said. “I know the first year, I met four or five kids that were wary about the military, but just talking to them about my experiences, well that got them to go to a recruiter and now they’re actively serving, and I’m friends with them now because they are adults and we can have an adult relationship, so that’s pretty cool.
“Like Chief was saying, there are many kids that don’t have great home lives, and I’ve already felt like I’ve become an outlet, or a friend for them, or an advocate, even, and those kids will come up to me and talk to me about anything because they feel safe,” said Sherlock. “That’s when you feel special, because if a kid confides stuff in you, they trust you, and I think that stuff’s pretty cool.”
Leavitt noted that the alternative for students who don’t have those conversations and those resources, could be a dark road for them to travel. He explained that that is the importance of having a positive mentorship. Sherlock emphasized he is excited to return to the schools.
“I’m glad to be back in the schools,” said Sherlock. “I’ve missed it.”