Lateef Mungin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nearly every day, police officers roll up to Suwanee Elementary School. That’s a good thing.
A new program at the school pairs a student with an officer from the Suwanee Police Department. Under Caring Officers Providing Support, an officer volunteers to meet with a student at least once a week to talk about school or other issues.
While many of the 14 students in the program say they like it because they get to see squad cars and police gear up close, invaluable lessons are being taught during the one-on-one sessions, students and officers say.
“My mentor talks to me about drawing and helps me with my math,” said fifth-grader Matthew Zalacain. His COPS mentor is Detective Shane Edmisten.
Another student, Timothy Lim, 10, said Cpl. Chris Robinson helps him with personal problems.
“He is somebody I can look up to,” said Timothy. “He takes time out of his life to come meet with me. If I have a problem, I can tell him, and hopefully he can do something about it.”
The program was a product of Suwanee Elementary School counselor Laura Spencer and Suwanee police Officer Robert Stewart.
Stewart said he came upon the idea last spring while teaching a class at the school that’s designed to encourage students to avoid drugs and violence.
“I was overwhelmed by the impact I had on the students,” said Stewart, who would have lunch with the kindergartners before teaching the fifth-graders.
“I was greeted by students in hallways and classrooms with high fives, smiles and questions, lots of questions,” he said.
Some students asked advice about how to be a better person, he said.
Answering those questions sparked the idea of bringing in some of his colleagues to work with the youths.
Stewart and Spencer developed the program and unveiled it this school year.
Spencer said she has received positive feedback from teachers and has received requests to add more students to the program.
Stewart said he is surprised that 10 officers, close to half of the Suwanee Police Department, have volunteered to be mentors.
Officer Elton Hassell said he joined the program so he can give a young person something he didn’t have while growing up.
“I remember when I was a kid my, mother divorced,” Hassell said. “I did not have a man to look up to when I was growing up, so I’m hoping I can give that to a student.”