By Jackie Ayres
Officer J.C. McPeake of the Beckley Police Department is one of 56 officers who spend their days watching over school campuses.
A daily fixture at Woodrow Wilson High School (until June 30 when the grant expires), McPeake’s job focuses on improving student knowledge and attitude of criminal justice and law enforcement.
“They want to see you bridging the gap between the students and the police department,” McPeake said.
McPeake is employed as a “PRO” — an officer trained through the Prevention Resource Officer program on how to be a positive mentor to students, as well as how to recognize potential danger, prevent violence and respond to dangerous school situations.
McPeake speaks highly of his position at Woodrow and believes his presence in the school makes a notable difference.
“To me it’s working wonders. Overall it’s been a huge success,” he said.
“Once you come into the school and they see you’re here every day, they know what you can get away with and what you can’t. They’re very receptive,” he said.
McPeake believes fights have reduced dramatically. In instances of fighting, he will break it up if he sees it, but he then turns it over to school officials. He allows the school administration to handle any issues that are not in a direct violation of the law.
McPeake says working at Woodrow with the students and faculty has been a “rewarding” experience.
“In the job that we do out here, (as a police officer) you work all day and weeks at a time, and people aren’t saying thank you,” McPeake said.
“Most of the time they’re the bad guys, or you’re writing tickets and they’re like, thanks a lot — you might get that. When you do something out here that’s affecting so many people, you do get a thank you.”
He has received numerous letters from teachers and students in appreciation for his presence in their school.
Under the program, McPeake has his own office and is required to be in the school full-time (35 to 40 hours per week).
Unless he’s in court, you can predictably find him scanning the parking lots, walking up and down the hallways between classes, in the cafeteria or teaching in a classroom.
The Juvenile Justice grant which pays for McPeake to be stationed there requires him to teach a minimum of one class per week, but characteristically he says he exceeds the requirement and teaches three or more.
“I love doing it,” McPeake said.
He gives his students a list of around 30 topics to choose from on classes such as driving under the influence, identity theft, becoming an adult and date rape, among others.
McPeake says he tries to select topics kids don’t typically get to learn about in the classroom that he can provide real-world experience on.
Like any teacher, McPeake is required to present lesson plans to the principal and process paperwork and keep records on his progress at the school.
After teaching a class, McPeake gives each student an evaluation sheet asking them to evaluate his class. He also gives them the opportunity to write down any questions they did not feel comfortable asking in front of their peers.
He reviews all evaluations personally and replies to each question in a private manner.
“A lot of people won’t ask a question in front of somebody. I tell them if you want to ask me a question or tell me something in confidence, I promise to answer every one,” he said.
In the evaluation, McPeake says he receives excellent feedback and typically gets asked questions of everything from problems at home and what students can do to handle them, how to become a policeman and what his “taze” gun is used for.
“The kids get to know you, not as a policeman, but as an individual, and as somebody they can trust. You just don’t come into the school — they’re very reserved until they get to know you,” he said.
As a permanent fixture in the school, McPeake is able to build a “trust” relationship with the students by giving and earning their respect.
In instances such as tobacco use or fighting, where he has to come in negative contact with them, McPeake says students are more likely to appreciate the fact that he has a job to do, and they’re more aware that the action is what caused the encounter to begin with.
“They realize I’m doing my job, they’re the one that messed up, it’s not me causing a problem. They don’t hold any grudges,” McPeake said.
The PRO program was initiated in 1996 by the state’s criminal justice planning agency. It started as a pilot test project at Hurricane High School.
Several grants are available right now to area middle and high schools. Some counties such as Nicholas, Kanawha, Mason and Harrison have four officers per county in middle and high schools.
“The grant will put an officer in any high school or middle school if they write a grant and show the need for it. I think clearly we’ve got a need, not just in the high schools in this area, but also the middle schools,” McPeake said.
He encourages any of the local schools not currently participating to consider applying immediately.
McPeake says the only way the WWHS grant will be renewed for the 2009-10 school year is through community support directed toward the Raleigh County Board of Education and Beckley Police Department.
— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com
