Have you ever wanted to do something in law enforcement, but you don’t know what? Well, we had the chance to talk to our LOHS School Resource Officer (SRO), Officer Brian Sheldon, and he told us all about what it’s like being a School Resource Officer and his experience in that position. 

Before we can get into that, we first have to talk about what an SRO even is. SROs are full-time police officers who are trained in emergency preparedness, crisis management, community policing concepts and problem-solving. The SROs are employed by the Lake Oswego Police Department (LOPD) to serve the LOSD community. The SROs have many jobs, such as serving as a liaison between LOSD and LOPD, meeting with the school administrators on a regular basis, providing assistance with any threat assessments when a person is a possible threat to other people or themselves and helping schools prepare for emergencies by planning and assisting with required drills. They also provide security at big events like dances and games and help with traffic safety. 

Now that we know what an SRO is, let’s see what it takes to become an SRO in the first place. Many people, including Sheldon, have some form of military involvement before joining the police force. In Sheldon’s case, he joined the United States Marine Corps for eight years and served a combat tour in Iraq in 2003. Then, he was hired by LOPD in 2006. 

When you want to become an SRO, you must first be a sworn police officer with a law enforcement agency. The SROs get special assignments to be a detective, traffic motor officer and other positions. You then have to internally apply with the LOPD to be assigned as the SRO, which is followed by an interview with a panel of LOPD command officers, an SRO from another agency and LOSD administrators. 

Now that we know the basics, we can talk more about our very own Sheldon. Although it’s not a requirement for SROs, Sheldon attends the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) where he practices new training processes and conferences to stay up to date with best practices, so he can be ready for anything that happens. 

What about the average day in Sheldon’s life? Well, Sheldon doesn’t really have a day-to-day routine so to speak. Most days feel and look the same, but Sheldon has to be prepared for anything and everything. The unpredictability of a law enforcement officer’s day can be nerve-wracking and fun all at the same time. Personally, Sheldon said, “I enjoy the uncertainty of my job, as it challenges me to be at the top of my game all the time.” 

In addition to his SRO duties, he has to stay up to date on all of his training as a police officer with the LOPD on a daily basis in order to be ready for anything. “My presence and availability is really the only ‘routine’ that I prioritize each day,” added Sheldon. 

Most days are alike — greeting students in the hallway and coaching baseball — but Sheldon has had some very unique experiences. For example, he has volunteered at the annual Shop With a Cop event for the past 9 years, and several years ago he was shopping with an elementary schooler who had a budget of $100. The kid spent it on gifts for his family before even thinking about himself. Sheldon learned while talking with the elementary schooler that his bike had been stolen before that, and the family could not afford to buy a replacement. After the fact, Sheldon bought a new bike for the kid and gave it to him a week before Christmas. The kid was so excited and rode the bike around. Sheldon explained, “The smile on his face while he rode it for the first time was the greatest feeling I’ve experienced in my career. I was so happy I could help a kid and family with a genuine need.”