Unarming a 17-year-old threatening people with a handgun earned an Officer of the Month award for a La Vergne High School Resource Officer.

            SRO Michael Martin received an engraved watch from owner/manager David Lee of Ford of Murfreesboro for being the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Officer of the Month for February.

 “Our School Resource Officers have made our schools a much more secure place for our children,” Lee said recently. “We appreciate all that they do.”

Martin responded Jan. 6 to the juvenile threatening people while caught up in school traffic on a street in front of the high school. Martin repeatedly ordered the juvenile to get out of the vehicle. A pistol was found on the suspect and he was arrested.

            Sheriff Robert Arnold said SROs are important to the safety of school students.

            “SRO Martin protected the students from harm by his quick action,” Arnold said.

SRO Sgt. Bill West credited Martin with diffusing a dangerous situation.

            “SRO Martin acted courageously and professionally in a very dangerous situation,” West said.