SCHOOL: Praise Officer Petersen

Two weeks ago during a visit to Lake City High School, I ran into my longtime friend, classmate, and now LCHS School Resource Officer Nate Petersen. After exchanging the kind of hug that only former offensive linemen who haven’t seen each other for a long time can exchange, he told me to follow him so that he could show me his office. When Officer Petersen opened his office door, I saw that he had decorated his office with T-shirts, photos and other memorabilia from his time as a student at Lake City. Tears came to my eyes as Officer Petersen described how important it had become to him to work with students who we often deem “at risk.” Officer Petersen described some of the proactive interventions he has already put into place, the way in which he was working to eliminate the negative way in which many people view the police, and how he hopes to soon begin incorporating a restorative justice model at Lake City.

Monday when I saw the horrific video of the violent acts of a school resource officer against a student from Spring Valley High School in South Carolina, I immediately thought of Officer Petersen. I have been to schools where violence is present every day and while thankfully violence is less present in schools like Lake City, school resource officers must deal with many issues every day in a volatile climate just as our young people must deal with stress, anxiety, mental health issues, social pressures, and more every day.

As a Lake City alum, I am so grateful that the school has a school resource officer who sees it as his job to help every student be successful, regardless of their challenges. This is a profound commitment that no doubt positively impacts many lives. As a classmate of Officer Petersen, I am proud of the man he has become. May we all pray that our schools remain safe places for all students, and join together in working to ensure that they do.

KYLE J. BAKER

Lake City H.S. Class of 2001

Helena, Mont.