Meet Officer Roberts, Poolesville High School’s new Student Resource Officer! According to Maryland’s Safe to Learn Act of 2018, every high school is required to have either sufficient law enforcement coverage available nearby, or a dedicated school resource officer, a specially trained police officer, to ensure the safety and security of the students and staff. Some responses have been edited for length or clarity.

What does [your position] entail?

“My main responsibility would be to secure the safety of all students and staff. Other responsibilities that I have given myself would be to create relationships with students and staff to build building blocks to connect with everyone around me.”

Can you tell us about the history of your career?

“I got a criminal justice degree in college. I wanted to go into the FBI when I graduated. That did not happen, so I went into the I.T. field. After working as a contractor for the government, I decided to go a different route career wise, and basically I became a police officer. And I never wanted to be one before, but I thought it was one of the best things for my family; that’s what I did. I have been a police officer for five years now, just working patrol. I was at Paint Branch doing the same thing as I do here, for 6 months.”

What made you want to work at a school? Has it met your expectations so far? 

“I have always worked well with kids: Sunday school at church, coaching. I’m relatable. I still think I’m cool. You guys may think I’m not, that I’m old. But, I think I can relate better than other people to this generation. So that’s why. For me coming here I really didn’t know what to expect because Poolesville was so far away. I didn’t really know the culture before hand. But now that i do it’s really everything I thought it was gonna be. I’ve created a lot of relationships already in the three weeks that I’ve been here.”

What is the hardest part of your job? 

“As an SRO, the hardest part is enforcing rules or policies that I might not agree with. For example, starting October 1, they made a law that I cannot charge students for tobacco charges on campus. I don’t necessarily agree with that but that’s the law.”

What is the best part of your job?

“The relationships, easily. I am trying to get to know everyone’s name, but I’m bad with names. I know everyone’s faces, though. But definitely having an individual relationship with every student–with every teacher–is important, because I want you guys to feel comfortable when you see me. My uniform is intimidating, but I’m a person just like you.

Why do we have an SRO?

“Just because it’s quiet, doesn’t mean it is always safe. I believe every school needs one, so they have some type of security. That’s why I’m so hard on making relationships now, so that they can feel secure, and they can feel safe. They can come to me if anything has happened, and they need to tell someone. And it’s a law.

How does being an SRO differ from being a member of the security personnel?

“The security guards are just to handle the students. They don’t handle any criminal aspect of the school. If something happens, they can’t actively fight back. I have tools and equipment to fight back. 

What is one thing you want the students at PHS to know?  

“I want for them to know that I’m here for them. I’m hip, put that in there, that I’m hip, okay? And that I’m very approachable. If they ever want to talk to me, or ask me any questions, I’m there for them.”

What is the history of your education?

“I grew up in Silver Spring. I went to Blair, Paint Branch, and Bullis. Then I graduated Bullis, in ‘05. I played football at Paint Branch; we had an incident at Paint Branch, and the coach got fired. He advised my family that a good school for football would be Bullis. That’s where he went. I investigated that, and then I went to Bullis for football.” 

If you had to choose one class to sit in on, which class would it be?

“I’ve been sitting in on Mr. Short’s law class more than any other class. I don’t have an expertise at, but I know more than others, so I feel like I could be more helpful there.

If you were a cereal, what would you be?

“They have a Sour Patch cereal, I don’t know if it’s sweet and sour yet, but I am. I might be Cinnamon Toast Crunch, because I’m sweet, delicious, and love to be covered in glitter.”