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…