CLAYTON – The Clayton Police Department is recognizing the dedication and commitment of its School Resource Officers (SROs) in honor of National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day.
According to Lieutenant Jeff Young, SROs do more than just enforce the law. They serve as mentors and role models who students can turn to in times of need. Working closely with school administrators, they promote safety, prevent conflicts, and provide guidance, all while strengthening relationships with students.
“Officers can seem intimidating based on past interactions or things they’ve seen in the news or on TV,” said Officer Miguel Duran, stationed at Johnston Charter Academy. “There can be some apprehension from kids or parents, and that’s why I make sure to leave the impression that I’m here for them. I want them to know I’m their friend and someone they can rely on. If they want to talk or approach me, I remind them that at the end of the day, I’m just a regular person.”
Officer Jalise Farris, stationed at Clayton High School, emphasized the importance of establishing trust and engaging with students.
“I interact with students like they’re my own nieces and nephews, treating them with respect because that’s how I’d want law enforcement to treat my family,” said Farris. “I talk to them in a straightforward and respectful manner, making sure I’m clear and direct. At the same time, I keep it lighthearted and joke with them when I can. But they also know when it’s time to be serious and listen. There’s no playing around. I strive to be relatable and approachable while still setting clear boundaries.”
The relationships SROs build with students extend beyond the school setting. They also engage with residents at local events and public gatherings, which helps bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community, creating a sense of familiarity and mutual respect.
“It’s rewarding when students and their families see me outside of school at the Clayton Christmas Parade, Harvest Festival, Fourth of July fireworks,” said Officer Alexandria Woodall, stationed at West Clayton Elementary School. “When they point me out to their parents or relatives and come up to hug me, it makes connecting with them so much easier when you’re not just seeing them in school but out and about in Town.”
The Clayton Police Department is grateful for the dedication and positive influence that the SROs have on students and the community, Young added. By creating meaningful connections and offering encouragement in a variety of ways, SROs are important figures who shape campus safety and help students thrive.
National SRO Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 15.
Hard truth: Wouldn’t need SROs if we had fathers in homes.
Weird bc when I started googling school shooting offenders, I wasn’t seeing broken homes. In fact it was the opposite. Care to explain how you made that up?
92% (DOJ stats since 1980) of school shooters are male, white, Christian citizens. But the lame media and sheep are upset about transgender, DEI, Muslim immigrants. #SheepSayBaa #TheRealProblem
I do believe there were transgender school shooters in 2023 (Nashville) and one in 2025 that was stopped (Trinity Shockley). Also, Muslim militants just murdered 70 Christians on Feb 13th, 2025 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo…a quick Google search up can show you that. What about the stats on teachers being assaulted by students at school? What about the stats of students assaulting other students? Violence has no place in the world…no matter who is doing it.
I didn’t see where he mentioned school shootings care to explain how you brought that up?
Harder truth: I had to put my father in a home. When we arrived there were lots of fathers there already. No one came to visit them. It was a sad dad day.
Harder harder truth. When public schools need to have police officers in them…..public schools,parents and society have failed.
I’ll surmise our pathetic gun laws are a big issue.
Yea because gun laws weren’t around 40 years ago.
People committed murder long before guns existed…pretty much since they got hands. Know your history.
Former teacher here…if you want to see how far society has fallen, go look at a PE class. You’ll see maybe 100 kiddos, 20 exercising, 20 watching TikTok, 20 lying down in pajamas, 20 asleep on the bleachers, and 20 taking selfies. It is a direct reflection of society and where we are headed. People better wake up…hard times are coming.