Security Tightens at CHS Wednesday, September 30, 2009 By Alex Spencer [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising The force is with CHS once again this year. Cameron School District has new School Resource Officer, Officer James Proctor of the Cameron Police Department. A Resource Officer does the same thing in the schools as he does on the streets.   A School Resource Officer works with the students to reinforce school policies, set up security for school functions, and make sure the students, faculty, and staff here in Cameron are safe. Students at CHS think that having a Resource Officer is for the better of the school and the students within. "Having two security Officers here at CHS is a little much, but most of us students don't pay attention." said Kody Stufflebean student at CHS.  The idea is for Resource Officers to help bridge the gap between students and the Police Department. "Schools are cities within cities," said Chief of Police Corey Sloan.   The school district has only one Resource Officer who is on a cost share, a joint payment plan between the Cameron R-1 School District and the City of Cameron who funds the Police Department. The schools provide a portion of the cost and the city provides the other. The schools also have a say in who they would like the Officer to be. A review board is set up for candidates who have signed up to fill this position. The board consists of teachers, parents, school administrators, and officers from other Departments.   Three candidates who signed up for the resource position were Officers Troy Greene, Bryson Janovec, and James Proctor, all of the Cameron Police Department. All three officers had to go through an application process and the review board, which chose the best candidate. "All Three Officers are very good at what they do," said Chief Corey Sloan. "They have their strengths and weaknesses, but Officer Proctor came out on top."   Each and every Resource Officer has to go through Drug Abuse Resistance Education training courses, or as most students know it, D.A.R.E training. D.A.R.E. training is in Jefferson City and is 2 weeks long. The classes are from 7:45 in the morning until 5 in the evening with about 3-4 hours of homework each night. "I'm going through this class so I can help young students realize how bad drugs are," explained Officer Proctor. D.A.R.E. is taught to 5th grade students here in Cameron, which helps the young students become aware of how drugs can turn their lives around in an instant. 6th grade classes will be going through bullying classes and how to prevent bullying, 7th graders will be taught on internet safety, and the 8th grade will go through classes on awareness and how choices can affect them in the future.    Officer Proctor thinks this is a good oppurtunity to help students understand life and how law enforcement works. "Having an Officer at the schools every day, I think, gives parents a positive feeling that the students are safe."

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