Campus patrol quickly becomes routine
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Brenda Sommer Familiar Face El Campo Police Officer Jennifer Mican visits with students at El Campo Middle School during a lunch break. Mican is one of two ECPD officers who work full-time at El Campo ISD schools, a program that began in October. City Council and the district last fall worked out an agreement to have two ECPD officers assigned full-time to the district.

El Campo ISD's decision to use uniformed police to walk the district's hallways has been a success, according to administrators and the officers themselves.

City Council and the district last fall worked out an agreement to have two El Campo police officers assigned full-time to the district. Officer Jennifer Mican spends most of her time at El Campo Middle School, while Cpl. Robert Holder is stationed at the high school. Both officers - who began their school duties in October - make occasional visits to the district's three elementary campuses.

ECISD pays the full cost of those two officers and bought equipment and vehicles for their use. Both officers remain under the control of the police department, and are equipped to issue tickets or respond to violations of the law. Middle school Principal Rodney Montello said having Mican as a visible presence has been "fantastic."

L-N Photo by Brenda Sommer Walking His Beat Cpl. Robert Holder of the El Campo Police Department strolls through the El Campo High School campus as he continues his full-time duty patrolling the school. Holder and Officer Jennifer Mican - who began their school duties in October - make occasional visits to the district's three elementary campuses. ECISD pays the full cost of those two officers and bought equipment and vehicles for their use.

"When we do need a police officer, she's right down the hall," he said. "She knows the children, so resolving a problem is so much quicker. A whole lot of her time is spent in prevention and counseling. Having school resource officers is proactive, not reactive."

Mican said her first days were a challenge because "it was all new."

"I think the kids pretty much are used to it by now," she said. "At first, they stayed away from me, but after a few weeks, it was like little ducklings following me around, asking questions like, 'Have you ever shot anybody?'"

Funny questions aside, Mican said there have been very few problems since she began her job at the school.

"When I first came, I thought there'd be a lot more, because on the streets, (people) can be so abusive," she said. "But here, there's only one or two who are rowdy, smarting off or being bullies."

Montello said the benefits of having a school resource officer are plentiful.

"It's like a police officer who walks a beat: They have that personal contact, they can sit and visit with the kids," he said. "I think they see police in a different light now. It puts the human factor into it."

Cpl. Holder said his new role at the high school is familiar.

"I'd done it in Victoria, so I had prior experience," he said. "I knew what I was getting into. They have good administration that stays on top of stuff, and I really do think we have a good bunch of kids."

He said students initially were leery of him, and somewhat confused.

"I think the kids thought we were the same as principals, but we can issue tickets or arrest them," he said.

Seeing a police officer every day helps change students' views about law enforcement, Holder said.

"I'm sure it does, because they can talk to us, can build a better rapport," he said. "It's nice to be able to give encouragement and at the same time, let them know the consequences if they go ahead and do something they shouldn't. It gets them to start thinking a bit more."

ECHS Principal Rich Du- Broc said having school resource officers is "great."

"I've never been an administrator without one," he said. "It's been really smooth and everyone's figured out what the SRO's role is. For example, it's not to enforce the dress code."

Having Holder around has become something to which staff quickly adjusted.

"It's noticeable when he's not here," DuBroc said.