Resource Officers help schools plan ahead in Lowndes County
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Over 200 school shootings have happened in the U.S this year.
There have also been recent threats in our area.
Lowndes County has eight school resource officers.
“These officers are more than just security guards at the school,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.
School Resource officers serve and protect your children.
“These officers are trained on what to do in case of an active shooter, how to put the school on lock down and how to go and eliminate the threat that might be posed to these children in these schools,” said Hawkins.
The school’s resource officers must have at least three years of experience as a police officer before they can work in
the school.
“What we’re looking for in school resource officers is someone that can kind of mentor the kids as well as protecting them while they’re there. If they see a problem with the child, they’re looking at these children and trying to determine what they need to help them with these problems that could exist,” said Hawkins.
Frank Crowder is a school resource officer at West Lowndes High.
“You never know what that child may be going through and maybe you can be a role model for that child or maybe you can be someone to help encourage that child to continue doing what they’re doing in a positive way,” said Crowder.
While his job is to keep students, faculty, and staff safe, he says it’s also important to form relationships with those he was sworn in to protect.
“I just enjoy being around the young people, learning the young people, learning the students here, not just at this school but different schools. I just enjoy being around them,” said Crowder.
In order to become a school resource officer, the officers must earn a certification through a week of training.
