Pubdate: Wed, 29 Aug 2007
Source: Sunday Gazette-Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2007, Sunday Gazette-Mail
Contact:  http://sundaygazettemail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1404
Author: Davin White
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

'HE'S THERE TO PROTECT US'

Officer begins walking high school beat in St. Albans

Patrolman Mike Page moved through the bustling cafeteria at St. 
Albans High School on Tuesday, shaking hands with students and flashing smiles.

It was the second day on the job for Page, the school's new 
prevention resource officer, but it wasn't exactly unfamiliar territory.

"The kids know me. I play basketball with them. I lift weights with 
them," he explained. "It's not like I'm a stranger."  - advertisement -

St. Albans Principal Tom Williams said Page's presence will be felt 
throughout the school day and across the campus.

"The kids are here, he's here," Williams said. "He can be here on 
teacher work days, as well."

By guiding traffic out of the student parking lot, Williams also 
expects Page to help ease the congestion that bogs down Kanawha 
Terrace around 3 p.m. each afternoon.

St. Albans Mayor Dick Callaway had written a grant, hoping to staff a 
full-time police officer at the high school after two students died 
in the fall of 2005 in apparent prescription drug overdoses.

One student, Abby K. Young, 16, allegedly took morphine pills on 
Thanksgiving night in 2005 and died in her sleep, school officials 
had said. Justin Tyler Garner, also a 16-year-old junior, died five 
days later after apparently ingesting the painkiller fentanyl. "After 
that, we had some drug-related murders [in St. Albans] as well," Callaway said.

Page's new job is an outgrowth of the St. Albans drug task force, he 
said. The officer underwent training in Putnam County that certified 
several of his new responsibilities.

The Kanawha County school system doesn't have to pay for Page's new 
assignment, as he's a St. Albans police officer.

He's expecting to head up at least one class per day, teaching 
subjects that range from DUI and fingerprinting to juvenile justice 
procedures and drug awareness.

Some students say having a uniformed police officer at school -- with 
a pistol, badge and all -- probably won't be too bad.

"It's cool," said junior Thomas Osborne. "I mean he's really nice, so 
everybody's nice to him." Osborne said there are not too many fights 
at St. Albans. Still, Page being there should help curb student 
violence, he said.

"I just think having the presence in the building hopefully will be a 
deterrent," Williams added.

Junior Nicole Brightwell figures Page will make the school 
environment safer. "I've talked to him once," she said. "I'd say for 
a cop he's OK."

Senior Shayla Saunders agreed.

"I mean, it keeps the school more safe and stuff," she said. "He's 
there to protect us."

While the first couple of days have been pretty calm, Page already 
had to toss a girl out Monday for cussing at a principal, teacher and parent.

"Never a dull moment the first day," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman