Officer Todd Pearson serves as School Resourse Officer at the West Fargo High School and West Fargo Community High School.
Both officers have a presence at many school functions.
If you have any question for Officer Anderson or Officer Pearson, call (701) 433-5500.
| School Beat |
| Article from West Fargo Pioneer 12/29/04 |
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Used by Permission
By Mike Schoemer  For now, Jason Anderson is an ordinary police officer, which, many would say, is no ordinary thing at all. But when literally thousands of middle school and high school students return to the halls of their respective buildings on the first day of school after the holiday break, he'll be Jason Anderson, School Resource Officer (SRO).
Anderson, who has been a liaison to the schools before through programs such as D.A.R.E. and other community programs, is the first School Resource Officer hired by the West Fargo School District. The District will team with the West Fargo Police Department to pay for the newly assigned position with assistance from the U. S. Department of Justice, which put forth $125,000 for the post. The District said the police presence would mostly be at the Cheney Middle School and West Fargo High School, as Anderson starts on a three-year trial in the program, meaning he'll become a constant figure in the schools during that time. “I think it brings a lot of potential in terms of safety,” Chuck Cheney, superintendent of West Fargo schools, said. “It can help prevent some of the things that we don't want to see happening in our schools. It has a direct effect on the kind of activity that will be going on around school grounds. And it's a good cooperation between the school district and police department.” West Fargo Police Chief Arland Rasmussen said at the outset of the program, which was approved by the West Fargo School Board last October, the officer would come from within the current roster of the police department. Anderson, who joined the force in 1998, has a unique involvement at the high school, where he has volunteered as an assistant coach with Steve Marquart's Packer wrestling program. The former Barnesville, Minn., resident said he enjoys working with kids, and representing the West Fargo Police Department at the two schools. And Anderson will continue to work closely with West Fargo juvenile officer Terry Styf, who was a regular presence in the high school and middle school buildings. Styf, over the past several years, was a resource officer in his own right. By spending time at the high school and middle school, talking to kids and building a sense of trust with students, Styf was able to solve crimes that involved vandalism and physical violence between juveniles. Rasmussen said with West Fargo's continued growth, the demand for a juvenile officer to be outside of the schools at all times made the need for a school resource officer even more evident. “Terry's been a great representative in our schools, but we need him for other things,” Rasmussen said. “He's been a part of the decision-making process as to who we would put in this spot.” Anderson will be a resource in every sense of the word for both students and staff. He'll report to the administrators at each building during the day, seeing if any problems need to be handled at the law enforcement level. He'll also be visible in the building during school hours, which means students can easily report any suspicious activity to somebody they know they can trust. Fights, drugs and other issues can be nipped in the bud before they bloom into a potential problem. Events such as the bomb threat that shut down school for more than an hour last semester could be prevented through the program. West Fargo's neighboring district, Fargo, has seen the SRO program become a key part to keeping their schools safe from any malicious activity. “Fargo currently has three (SRO's) and they've become such an essential part of the school system that they are very protective of them,” Rasmussen said. “When they heard we were launching this, they immediately said 'Don't take our SROs.' So you can see how valuable this can be.” The school district covers a percentage of the cost of the SRO, which should cost the West Fargo system about $35,000 over the next three years. After that, the District can apply for a renewal through the Department of Justice. “I think this is something we could budget together (with the West Fargo Police Department) after the first three years of this program are behind us.” Other officers from the West Fargo Police Department are part of the school system, as well, but the SRO will take a higher-profile position within the district. Many West Fargo Police Officers, in fact, are Packer graduates. And officers are always present at sporting events, such as football and basketball contests. But Rasmussen also makes sure each officer is familiar with the high school through special training, such as emergency response and training for more serious incidents. In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, for example, many of the department's staff went through training for terrorist response. Officers have also been put through training as to how to handle an event like the school shootings several years ago in Columbine, Colo. The West Fargo School District has a strict, no-tolerance policy when it comes to violent offenses. Students even suggesting some sort of violence within the school are placed on suspension, and could be expelled for such activity. But Anderson, meanwhile, will be a friendly face for those who value the resource. Resource officers, studies show, have helped increase an interest in both public safety and careers in criminal justice. “I think it will be a valuable asset,” Angela Korsmo, vice-president of the West Fargo School Board, said. “I'm looking forward to seeing how it all works out.” |