I have been very fortunate to have been assigned to Apple Valley High School for the past 14 years. People always ask me why we have police officers in schools and it is easy to explain why. The job of a school resource officer is very diverse; we set-up lesson plans and speak in a wide variety of classes (Drivers Ed, Criminology, Civics, Special Ed, Careers, Physics, Wellness). School resource officers work as liaison's between students and child protection, social services, and community corrections. We assist the administration in building safety and security issues are another set of duties that comes with the job. Of course dealing with any criminal activity is a priority. Building positive relationships with students is a must for any police officier assigned to a school.

I have always worked with the philosophy that Apple Valley High School should be a place for students to come and receive a quality education in a friendly, safe and secure environment. School resource officers can be found at a wide variety of school activities. I make an effort to attend every dance, home football game, and every men's and women's home hockey game, the majority of men's and womens's soccer games, and the occassional wrestling match, basketball games, softball and baseball games, and track meets. Other involvement includes running the intramural basketball program and officiating intramural broomball. This involvement allows me to stay connected with students on a personal level and meet hundreds of AVHS students each year.