Meeting the Challenges
PICTURED ABOVE
Daviess County Public Schools Police Chief Gary Mattingly and his twin brother deputy chief Paul Mattingly pose outside Daviess County High School. The Mattinglys say the most important aspect of their jobs is to keep students and school staff safe. (Photo by Lonnie Bell)
The signs are unmistakable. The shuffling of feet in the hallway, the clanking of locker doors, yellow busses running up and down the roadways across Kentucky, and the bell alerting students that classes across the state are in session.
According to the annual School Safety Risk Assessment Report, there are 685 certified school resources officers (SROs) in the halls of the elementary, middle, and high schools around the commonwealth, which is most in Kentucky’s history.
Additionally, since the passage of the School Safety and Resiliency Act in 2019, the number of full-time SROs has increased by 66%. Since the beginning of last school year, there has been a 33% increase in schools with a full-time SRO on campus, and that figure is expected to continue to rise during the school year.
The Daviess County Public Schools Police Department is responsible for the safety of 20 public schools located in its county.
Their SROs are often seen walking the halls and ball fields on the various campuses, but sometimes, students and staff do a double-take when they see Gary and Paul Mattingly.
The Mattinglys serve the department as chief and deputy chief, respectively, but the resemblance doesn’t end there, as the veteran law enforcement officers are also twins.
“Working with my brother is a lot of fun, knowing I have someone there who I can bounce ideas off and get good feedback,” Chief Gary Mattingly said. “The funniest part is when students, staff or admin have never seen us together and do a double take. It’s the greatest. We smile and tell them they must be working too hard and seeing double.”
Single Goal
Striving for the safety of the students and staff members is a paramount concern.
“We are all law enforcement officers who have taken an oath to serve and protect our communities,” Gary Mattingly said. “Our job as SROs is to protect the most precious community members, and that’s our communities’ children.”
Like all aspects of law enforcement, there are challenges SROs must meet and conquer.
One of the biggest challenges is to build relationships with students, especially those who have had negative interactions with police, Gary Mattingly said. Additionally, the chief said it is crucial to let students and parents know law enforcement officers are not always there to enforce the law but also to be there as mentors, friends, protectors, and trusted professionals.
“I treat all students with the same respect and courtesy,” he added. “Dealing with student issues or concerns is just a matter of listening.”
Another challenge, Paul Mattingly said, is dealing with school-aged kids constantly changing emotionally and physically.
“You see them come into the high school their freshman year all wound up,” he said. “Some get into trouble, some you never see again, and some you see occasionally. You see them transform into something good when they reach junior status. They’re more mature, have their head held higher, and seem to walk around confidently. I have had students in my office more than I can count. Or even up in the administrator’s office. There will always be students who struggle with school. You even have students who come to school to escape from the home life they may have.
“I try to advise them as I was not always perfect in school,” Paul Mattingly continued. “I tell them my story about when I was in school and had to set up my graduation because I was in detention. They seem to look at me funny because I am in uniform. I tell them that this will be the best four years you will have and to settle down and make the most of it.”
To meet their goal, the Mattinglys say it is vital for school staff to buy into working with SROs.
“I believe when SROs work with teachers and administrators, we must educate them on our roles and how we can assist them in making an easy work environment,” Gary Mattingly said. “On the other hand, we learn a lot from educators and administrators on how the school operates.”
(Photo submitted )
A Myriad of Challenges
We are no longer in the age where the most significant issues in school include gum under seats and breaking up fights.
Challenges students face today were unheard of 20 years ago. Paul Mattingly said that includes vaping, cyberbullying via various social media forums, etc. That is where an SRO's listening skills come in handy.
“(Students) will tell you everything if you just listen,” he said. “I also gather information with our local River Valley Behavioral Health. They send us information on the latest and greatest trends in alcohol and vaping. Also, I work with our family resource coordinator in our school to assist with things she may need for our students. We have brought in outside professionals who speak to our students on these hot topics.”
Gary Mattingly agreed with Paul’s assessment and added that it is vital for SROs to be knowledgeable about what pressures students are facing in today’s world.
“Social media and all its platforms are concerning for students and parents,” he said. “Asking students to put down their lifeline and take a moment is challenging. When students have access to the world at their fingertips, I encourage parents to get involved in what they are looking at. A lot of students hide behind words. I stress to all students and parents to be very cognitive about what they send over social media. Once the send button is pressed, you can’t un-send, and what’s done is done.”
Evidence of Success
It is easy to say the right things, such as building rapport and establishing relationships. Gary Mattingly said it is all worth it when the outcome of a given situation is successful. To illustrate his point, he shared a story about a high school student going through a rough patch.
“The student walked away from school at the end of the day dismal, walked to a nearby overpass with intentions of jumping off into moving traffic below,” the chief shared. “The rapport I had with this student during school greatly impacted them, and I talked the student off the ledge without incident. Knowing I can connect with students, being present and accountable in their lives and having a long-lasting impression long after the student graduates is important.”
Gary Mattingly said having training resources such as the SRO courses offered at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training is a huge asset for resource officers.
(DOCJT’s) SRO1, SRO2, and SRO3 are the three steps for becoming a certified school resource officer,” he explained. “These 40-hour courses are not only a refresher course but allow officers to stay updated on the always-evolving legal training, first aid, active shooter courses, best practices, and social media platforms. The best part is the network of SROs throughout the state.”
Paul Mattingly said on top of the training, the courses have allowed SROs across the state to network and share information and advice, which is also a benefit.
“We as SROs in Kentucky and other states need to get together once or twice a year to network,” Paul Mattingly said. “(We need to) find out what we are doing right and what we can work on. What are the latest and greatest trends that are out? We have the Kentucky Association of School Resource Officers and the National Association of School Resource Officers. We have the greatest responsibility to protect someone else’s child. Parents and Guardians are depending on us to do just that. We need to be trained and ready to do just that, and heaven forbid we ever need it.”
In 2022, Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 63 requiring all public schools to have an SRO per campus as funding and personnel allowed. He then built on that bill in March of this year by signing House Bill 540, which expanded the definitions related to the use of SROs to apply to private or parochial schools as well as public schools, creating consistency of expectations across different types of schools.
The Office of the State School Security Marshal compliance officers are required by law to conduct annual unannounced visits to all public schools. Compliance officers verify compliance with state-mandated security measures and SRO requirements, including access control requirements, surveillance, locked classroom doors, classroom-window covering and a threat-assessment team.
