Holland back in SRO role

By Millie McClain

     Sheridan's first school resource officer is now back in position.

     Sheridan Police Officer David Holland was the first SRO in the Sheridan School District when the program was created in 1995. He served as the district's only SRO for six years before leaving law enforcement to work full-time with the Arkansas Army National Guard, of which he is still a member. Holland returned to law enforcement about 11 months later.

     "I loved serving the public and helping people and missed being out there daily doing that," Holland explained.

     Since that time he has worked for the department in patrol, criminal investigations, and Internet crimes prevention, an area to which he is still dedicated. Holland was involved in the arrested of about a dozen men last year all of which involved charges of Internet Stalking of a Child. He recently attended a 16-hour Internet Predators class at the White County Sheriff's Department, which covered procedures necessary in Internet stalking cases such as online chatting, search warrants and prosecution. Holland added that the dangers of the Internet are something he hopes to be able to relate to the students in the Sheridan district as a school resource officer.

     "The Internet is a very useful tool for students when it comes to researching and such. It is a fun activating when it comes to playing arcade type games and chatting with friends. However, it has its downside, too," Holland explained. "It can be very dangerous, especially for children. Internet predators are constantly online and looking for an innocent child or teenager to take advantage of, and it happens every day. Not just in another state or in another town, but right here in Sheridan, Arkansas."

     Holland said he hopes to be able to coordinate some Internet safety presentations in classes on the Sheridan school campuses.

     Holland, a certified school resource officer, went back to work in the schools on Jan. 30. He joined SRO Saundra McCool who has been working in the district for two years. The two will work together to cover all of the campuses.

     As school resource officers, Holland and McCool's duties include to provide a law enforcement presence to prevent crimes on school property, to investigate criminal violations, to respond to police-related incidents that occur on school property and to take police action in these instances when necessary. They also include to instruct law enforcement-related classes when requested, to serve as a source of law enforcement related information for students, parents and faculty, to act as a liaison between law enforcement officials and school personnel and students, and to provide law enforcement related counseling, guidance and referrals to other agencies as needed.

     "I love being a school resource officer," said Holland. "I can't describe the feeling of helping a child in times of trouble."