‘The best way to police is through relationships’

CPD’s Sgt. Lee Hargrove offers insights on the role of the school resource officer

(Editor’s Note: This is the final installment in a multiple part series on local school resource officers.)

If there was a core commonality between the officers interviewed for our series on school resource officers, it’s a passion for connecting students with law enforcement from an early age. Without fail, Berkeley County School District Security Officer Tim Knight, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Deputy Cephus Rogers, and Hanahan Police Officer Alvin Zellous each believe in the power of communication with the kids and teens that attend a middle or high school

Charleston Police Department Sergeant Lee Hargrove matches that spirit.

Hargrove oversees the school resource officer program in the city of Charleston and has seen both sides of the aisle: leadership and life as an SRO, but he still carries that same ardor for students.

Building relationships with kids, particularly reaching out to kids who may be coming from a non-traditional home life or even a troubled situation is his favorite aspect of being an SRO, he said.

While many uniformed law enforcement agents affiliated with school resource officer programs are inside the schools, Hargrove acts as an administrator to the boots on the ground. This offers a new point of view to the SRO equation.

“I like to actually watch the development of officers and help them in their career progression,” he stated.

“When we do get new officers into the unit who haven’t been SROs before, a lot of times it is an eye-opening experience for them because they don’t realize what all SROs have to do.”

When scouting for new SROs, the police department considers seasoned officers who are calm, but still have “a little fire left in their belly,” the Sergeant said.

“We also look for officers who have a history of making good sound decisions and who are very even-keeled, because juveniles will try you,” Hargrove added. “They will get under your skin, but we need people who can maintain their composure and not lose their cool in those situations.”

And, although they carry a badge and are sworn to uphold the law, SROs are told that they are not meant to be school disciplinarians.

“We’re there for criminal enforcement on campus,” Hargrove said. “We’re there to provide security for campus. And we’re there to help foster relationships.”

In addition, he clarified that this allows for a separation between acting out in school and a “criminal track.”

“Things like drugs, weapons, assaults—those are going to be criminal track all day long,” Hargrove continued. “But, things that are more behavioral in nature, we try to get the schools to handle that because that is more of an opportunity for learning and growth on the part of the child.”

But, with this comes a balance officers must strike. An SRO’s job isn’t complete when the school bell rings, said Hargrove.

“Many of them are assistant coaches for different athletic programs and stuff at the schools,” he offered. “I’ve got SROs who are assistant football coaches, SROs who are assistant soccer coaches, SROs who are assistant track coaches.”

This combined with occasional classes about drug awareness and law make for a hands-on approach.

In his 20 year career with CPD, Hargrove has served with differing patrol units and spent several years as the SRO at West Ashley High School near the end of the last decade.

Because of his role watching over the people that watch over students, Hargrove is able to provide a much broader interpretation of the traits needed to be an SRO.

In a single word, the Sergeant believes that “patience” is the key to a great resource officer.

“That’s a good trait for an officer in general. We deal with very stressful and trying emotional situations and you can’t be quick-tempered,” Hargrove explained. “Oftentimes, a rash decision or a decision made in anger is going to be one that could have long term consequences, not only for the student, not only for the officer, but for the department and its relationship with the people they serve.”

On the other side of the coin, a school resource officer who does their job well can transcend the uniform to become another part of the school, without removing the badge. Working with students will help them more than working against them.

“I also see the school resource officer program and the unit as an opportunity to help build relationships and partnerships, not only with children, but with all members of the community,” he explained. “I think that the best way to police is through relationships.”

Daniel Island Publishing

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