School resource officers part of the ‘village’ raising kids in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — As the buzzer sounds and more than 1,800 teens are passing through the halls at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, it's not unusual for several teens to give a high-five, a fist bump or even a hug to School Resource Officer Charity Hansel.  

'Looking hip today, Officer Charity,' one boy says. Hansel just laughs and shakes her head.

Another teen tells Hansel, 'I'm doing better today,' as she weaves her way through the crowd to give the officer a quick hug.  

Hansel, who has been an school resource office at Kennedy High for five years, describes last Wednesday as a 'quiet, kind of slow' day. Early on, there are no fights and only one couple 'making out,' which Hansel casually quashes by telling them it's time to get to class.

'Sometimes, all it takes is for me to walk in wearing this uniform,' Hansel says with a big grin.  

Later in the morning, a girl comes to Hansel upset and angry over an abusive situation with a boyfriend. Hansel calmly talks to her and reassures her that breaking up with her boyfriend was the right thing to do.

'You deserve better. Make good choices,' Hansel says after giving the girl a hug.

Being a Cedar Rapids police School Resource Officer is more than providing safety, Hansel says. She becomes a counselor, teacher, nurse or first responder, and sometimes helps with the social end.

She's helped boys ask girls to prom, and on Wednesday, three students ask Hansel if she will pretend to catch them speeding for a video they're making for Spanish class. Hansel agrees, but then says, 'I only speak French.'

After the video shoot, Tyler Dennis, 18, says, 'She takes her job seriously, but she's approachable and always willing to help.'

Holle Galvin, 18, agrees, saying Hansel is somebody she can go to with any problem.

'No matter what's she's doing, she will stop and help you,' says Galvin, adding she has had some issues to overcome and Hansel helped her through it. Galvin wants to help people and is planning to pursue a career as a corrections officer after hearing Hansel talk about work in law enforcement.   

'SROs create safe zones with kids,' Hansel says. 'They can tell me something and know I'm not going to judge them. It takes a village, and we are part of that village.'

BUILDING TRUST

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin agrees, adding the Cedar Rapids Police Department has eight school resource officers in Cedar Rapids schools and one at Kirkwood Community College. They're there not to arrest kids but to build relationships and, hopefully, trust.

Hamblin says it's also a way to recruit future officers.

'It only helps to have kids grow up with a positive view of police,' she says.

The school resource officers work as a team with teachers and administrators and, Hansel says, have several alternatives to arresting a student, including counseling and writing a paper. If it's a mental health or substance abuse issue, she refers the student to a local agency.

The department started putting officers in the middle and high schools in 2010. There is now one officer each at Kennedy, Jefferson, Prairie, Washington and Metro high schools, Polk Alternative, McKinley and Roosevelt middle schools and, as of last year, Kirkwood.

Each officer, Hansel says, has his or her own skill set. Hansel, for example, was an investigator for 11 years, focusing on sex crimes and internet crimes against children, so she is comfortable talking to students who have been abused or neglected or are in some other traumatic situation.

'SHE HELPS THE KIDS SO MUCH'

'It's wonderful to have her here,' Kennedy Principal Jason Kline says of Hansel. 'She helps the kids so much, gives them advice, and she's great with mental health issues and working with kids that have experienced abuse.'

Kline says parents always comment on the safety aspect of having a police officer in the building, but they also mention Hansel is someone their children can go to for help. 

Ben Ethier, Kennedy's campus security and assistant basketball coach, says Hansel makes his job easier and less stressful. Ethier and Hansel watch over the school's four lunch periods every day.

'She's amazing with the kids,' Ethier says. 'I've seen the kids that had an attitude toward the police change. They respect law enforcement now.'

Jon McKowen, Kennedy's physical education teacher and basketball coach adds, 'Some of the toughest kids in school respect her. She's the best.'

'JOB IS A BLESSING'

Later on Wednesday, Hansel and an associate principal break up a scuffle over a fidget spinner, a popular stress-relieving toy. The two intervene before the fight escalates.

Hansel goes into the main office and talks with the teens. She doesn't share what happened, but nobody is arrested. Hansel says the goal is to diffuse a situation before something bad happens.           

'A bad decision doesn't make a bad kid,' Hansel says. 'These are my kids. This job is a blessing to me because it's a chance to change lives.'

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