Page 8 - Nov Proof

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Building rapport and trust By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of DCSO
Eric Rhymer has been a Douglas
for the last two decades. He’s held the American Academy (AA) since 2019. specialist before DCSO sponsored commission as deputy, Rhymer spent a inmates to and from the detention Rhymer spent 10 years on patrol, some
A Colorado native, Rhymer was born he felt like a military police (MP) would eventually end up. After high on flight and navigation systems
for F-18 Hornets. Through some mentoring, Rhymer realized that being a MP was not what he wanted to do. He left the Navy and used the GI bill to study aviation at Metro State University, and he worked as an aviation electrician on medical helicopters at Centennial Airport.
After his time in the aviation field, Rhymer became more interested in civilian law enforcement. Always a fan of outdoor activities and sports, he filled in for an open position on a DCSO softball team one day, and the conversations that happened that day led Rhymer to seriously consider making a career change. Twenty years later, Rhymer has never been happier professionally.
CastlePinesConnection.com
County Sherriff’s Office (DCSO) deputy school resource officer (SRO) position at Rhymer started as a civilian detention
him at the police academy. After his
few years working court security, escorting center cells to the courtroom. Then
of that in the City of Castle Pines.
and raised in Longmont. Growing up, position in the U.S. Navy was where he school, Rhymer joined the Navy, working
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An SRO’s general job description includes keeping kids out of trouble. Continual positive interactions between officers and students goes a long way to developing trust between students and the officers who are assigned to protect and help teach them at school. Typically, SRO assignments last at least one year and are often lengthened to help develop positive relationships with school staff and students.
While the nitty gritty of an SRO’s daily tasks and how they function on the school campuses varies by school, education and mentoring are typical responsibilities. Rhymer enjoys his unique opportunities at AA. He teaches many programs to some of the older students, including an interactive investigation class, akin to “Sherlock Holmes” to the fifth-grade students. The Y.E.S.S. program is taught to AA middle school students, grades six through eight. It focuses on all aspects of student safety, including teen relationships, digital safety and substance abuse. Rhymer also teaches a case law class about schools and students rights at school to help prepare eighth graders for high school.
Rhymer is passionate about being present at AA. He is visible and helpful during morning and afternoon student drop-off and pickup. He has a self-proclaimed lofty goal of learning each AA student’s name and face. So far, he’s mastered about a quarter of the roughly 800 students on campus this year. Additionally, he loves to teach kids early that “law enforcement [personnel] are good people. They are just like anyone else; They want to help.” It’s the rapport building and education that keep Rhymer engaged, and the people and positive environment that keep him coming back.
November 2021
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