Badges and Books at Glen Arden

SRO supervisor Lt. Mike Ruby reads a book to first-graders at Glen Arden Elementary School on Friday, March 2, 2018.

By Tim Reaves
BCS Communications Department

Deputies “arrested” the attention of Glen Arden Elementary School students by reading to them during Read Across America Day on Friday.

Every Friday during the school year, School Resource Officers (SROs) and other Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office employees – from court security to detectives – travel to one BCS elementary school and read to the children in kindergarten through second grade, said SRO supervisor Lt. Mike Ruby.

“It’s kind of a highlight, because the kids in the schools get to see us in a different light,” he said. “We’re working to build positive relationships with them, and that makes it easier for them to come to us when they need to.”

“It’s a really great way for the kids to see the deputies as friends,” said Glen Arden Principal Kristina Specht. “It helps students feel comfortable around them.”

SROs like Dep. Travis Toms serve as mentors to our students in all grades. They provide support when students have problems at home or at school. They teach students about cyberbullying, substance abuse, Internet safety, and more. Toms said he especially enjoys reading to the elementary-aged children and answering their questions about his profession.

“I explain to them that our number one priority is doing everything we can do to keep them safe,” he said. “At their age, a lot of kids believe that all we do is arrest people and take them to jail, but we do a lot more than that. We keep the schools safe and we mentor students every day.”

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Buncombe County Schools