It’s a normal school day where during a class change students are walking with their friends to their next class and then all of a sudden a fight breaks out the students that are near the location of  the fight gather around and watch. The fight gets stopped when a staff member and a police officer breaks up the fight.

What do police officers do?  

Police officers, sheriffs, constables, and civic civil guards are people who want to ensure safety by aiming to enforce the law to protect their community. Police officers are referred to as police service, protective services, and law enforcement agencies.

How do you become a police officer and what are the requirements? 

To qualify for a  police officer position at the Mentor Police Department you must be at least 21 years of age or will reach that age by the completion of the academy.                                                                                 

You must have a high school diploma or GED.

Also you must have a valid Ohio drivers license and no felony or criminal convictions on your background. 

You must pass a drug screen, background check in order to qualify for this position. 

Keep in mind that many law enforcement agencies require candidates to take a polygraph test, a written examination, and a psychological evaluation.

I had a conversation with Officer Jack Skelly who has been a Mentor police officer for the  past 17 years. What follows are his responses:

Cardinal Nation: What made you decide to be a police officer?  

Officer Skelly: As a kid I was always intrigued when I saw the police. I liked the uniforms and the cars. As I grew up I began to appreciate the difference between right and wrong and I knew I liked interacting with people and helping people. I definitely didn’t want a desk job. Being a police officer was the perfect fit. I could get out into the community and help people and try to make the city a better place. 

Cardinal Nation: How long have you been on the force, and how is the job changing? 

Officer Skelly: I have been with The Mentor Police Department for 17 years. I was an officer in Geneva for three years prior to working for Mentor. The job has changed a lot in the past 20 years, I would say mostly because of technology. We now have cameras everywhere – on our vests, in our cars, on street lights and everyone has a cell phone camera. This technology has helped to catch a lot of crimes that otherwise may not get solved. Social media helps with identifying suspects and sharing important information with residents. Police officers now carry Narcan and AED’s to quickly assist with medical calls. In the past this was only something the fire department would have. There are several changes over the years and most of it has helped law enforcement be better at their job. 

Cardinal Nation: What are the biggest challenges facing police and school resource officers?

Officer Skelly: The biggest challenges today are trying to help the growing population that is experiencing mental health issues.  

Cardinal Nation: What do you think people need to understand about your job that is often misunderstood? 

Officer Skelly: Below is a quote from Sir Robert Peel, who is considered the father of modern police. It means police are just people like everyone else. We are just paid to make sure everyone acts and does what’s in the best interest of the community. We don’t think we are better than anyone else or any different. We don’t enjoy writing tickets or arresting people, it is just part of our jobs. We do like to help people anyway we can.

“The Police are the Public; the Public are the Police. The Police are paid to give full time attention to duties that are incumbent upon every citizen in the interest of community welfare and existence.” 

Cardinal Nation: What do you think the future of your job looks like? 

Officer Skelly: The future of police work will probably look like it does now. There may be more technology that comes along and there will always be crime. 

Cardinal Nation: What are some of your favorite things about this job and best moments? 

Officer Skelly: My favorite thing about this job is that the uniform is an ice breaker so to say. People will almost always say hi and have a conversation with you. If I am in my regular clothes people will walk past you, which is normal. In uniform pretty much everyone will say “Hi” and start a conversation. It would be hard to narrow down my best moments, there have been many. For some reason when I try to remember significant situations I have been in they are usually not the “best moments” There are several occasions when I run into a student years after graduation and they tell me how good they are doing and how I may have helped them succeed. Those moments always make me happy. 

Cardinal Nation: What is the role of a school resource officer in terms of keeping students safe? 

Officer Skelly: My role is to constantly be aware of what is going on in and around the building. I am always paying attention the way people are acting and behaving. I am here to stop any kind of threat that may show up. I try to develop a social relationship with everyone in the building so they are comfortable sharing information with me that may be important. This job is a lot about information sharing and being attentive. 

Cardinal Nation: Some students are concerned about recent fights in the building. How concerned should students be about that, and how do you handle them? 

Officer Skelly: Unfortunately we have had a few fights this year. It is sad but fights in schools are not an uncommon problem and Mentor High is actually pretty fortunate that we only have a few each year. High school students are emotional thinkers until they are about 20 years old. When emotions get high sometimes it gets the best of them and they act out in an aggressive way. The best way to handle them goes back to your question about protecting the school, information sharing and being attentive. Most times we can find out who is upset and help them solve the issue before anyone gets aggressive. By being observant and attentive you can see the issue unfold and step in before it gets out of control. Unfortunately with 2500 students you can’t always be at the right place at the right time. Mentor has great security and administration and every altercation is usually confronted very quickly. 

After my discussion with Officer Skelly, it is apparent his dedication and passion for the police officer job, his twenty years of experience, and the positive impact he has on being a police officer. I have talked to and I agree with the positive force he is. Thank you, Officer Skelly.