Pubdate: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 Source: Quincy Herald-Whig (IL) Copyright: 2006 Quincy Herald-Whig Contact: http://www.whig.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3360 Author: Rodney Hart, Herald-Whig Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) OFFICER ENJOYING THE 'GOOD SIDE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT' Dave Mason calls his job as a school resource officer "the good side of law enforcement." Mason, a 10-year Adams County Sheriff's Department deputy, started the new job last fall in the Unity, Payson and Central school systems. Working with students and staff during the school year was a good experience for the Drug Awareness Resistance Education officer. "Just being in the hallways, being a presence," Mason said of his basic job description. "I'm on the good side of law enforcement. I'm sure a lot of kids saw it at first as a negative, and I'm sure there was some apprehension at first, but after a while I had kids coming up and talking to me." Regional Superintendent Ray Scheiter helped get state funding for part of Mason's salary. "He's a very professional fellow and he carries out his responsibilities with great dispatch," Scheiter said of Mason. "He is there to assure each student is safe, and that's what it's all about -- to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all children in a safe environment." Scheiter said he pushed for the program because he saw how successful the Quincy Police Department has been with its school officers and the Quincy Public Schools security team. When the position was created, Mason jumped at the chance. "I've been the DARE officer for four years and I've always enjoyed communicating and talking with kids," Mason said. "I had the chance with this job to talk and interact with high school kids." Mason worked on cases like bullying, assaults and batteries and even a few drug cases with the West Central Illinois Task Force. "I had a kid come up to me and tell me about some possible illegal drug activity, and we started investigating," Mason said. If an arrest needed to be made, Mason called in another deputy to assist. In the mornings and afternoons, he parked his car in school parking lots and did traffic enforcement. Mason also worked with the newly formed Adams County Sheriff's Department Special Response Team to map and videotape county school buildings and prepare for various rapid response situations. Scheiter said the area schools are working with the county to make sure Mason's position is funded for the 2006-2007 school year. "In this day and age, you never know what might happen," Scheiter said. "It's important to have representatives of law enforcement available to schools." Scheiter added that school principals and staff were glad to have Mason on the job. "We are very appreciative of Dave and the job he did," Payson Seymour Principal John Wallace said. "We've needed something like this for a long time and I think the kids appreciated him being around." Adams County Deputy Chief Fred Kientzle said Mason's job was to be a proactive officer and provide education and support for the school system. Mason is working this summer in the ACSD investigations department. "We haven't had one complaint about the school resource officer program," Kientzle said. "We couldn't have asked for a better person than Dave to do the job because he's our DARE officer, and he's really good with the kids." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman