RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. – School Resource Officer (SRO) Chad Dodson, a 17-year veteran of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, shared insights into the evolving landscape of school safety and student mentorship during a recent visit to the WGNS Action Line. Currently stationed at Lascassas Elementary, Dodson balances the roles of law enforcement, informal counselor, and role model for over 600 students.

Dodson highlighted the "Triad Plus One" concept followed by the SRO division. "We are law enforcement, we do informal counseling and teaching in the schools, but the plus one is being a role model," Dodson explained. He then stressed the importance of building trust early, particularly for children who may have had negative exposures to law enforcement... It's extremely important for the students to feel safe when turning to the school resource officers.

The school resource officer told WGNS that it's important for parents to have ongoing conversations with their children about the digital dangers that exist in the real world - - dangers that begin on a child's smartphone... Dodson said that he always reminds students that predators often pose as peers on popular apps.

On occasion, parents will talk to the SRO about security programs designed to keep kids safe when online. Dodson warned... He urges parents to actively monitor their children's devices, noting that many apps are specifically designed to hide content from guardians...

The role of an SRO also involves navigating complex family dynamics, including domestic issues and custody battles. Regardless, Dodson emphasized that the primary concern is always the child. He told us that depending on the circumstances, a child can have mental health concerns that need to be addressed...

To maintain his connection with the student body, Dodson uses a stuffed dog named "Pancake." "I use Pancake to... interact with all my kids at least once a week," he said, describing how he sits in the lobby during lunches with the toy on a remote-control car to build rapport through humor and play. The bottom line, SRO's like Chad Dodson have a passion for what they do... SROs provide security for all 52 county school campuses.

• Click HERE to listen to our interview with SRO Dodson.