School’s out, but there’s no summer vacation for resource officers

Summer break means family trips, dips in the pool and more time hanging out with friends for thousands of suburban students.

But for the police officers who monitor their hallways and help resolve their conflicts during the fall, winter and spring, duty still calls when school’s out.

From leading camps for at-risk families, to instructing the next wave of first responders, to pedaling through their city’s downtown nightlife scene, here’s how some school resource officers are spending their time this summer.

Helping kids THRIVE

For a second consecutive year, the Wheeling Police Department’s four SROs are spending their summer launching something new — a camp for middle schoolers and their families called THRIVE, aka Transforming Hope Into Resilience, Independence, Virtue and Empowerment.

The inaugural program began June 12, with six students who were identified by school staff and SROs as being likely to benefit. They’ll meet nine times over six weeks, including a field trip Thursday to the Sunrise Lake Education Center in Bartlett.

Three of the nine sessions will take place in the evening, with the students’ parents in attendance as well.

Sgt. Michael Bieschke told us involving the entire family is a key component of THRIVE.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a camp like this that tries to reach the root of the challenges, and that’s not just by working with the student, but with the entire family,” he said.

Besides field trips like Thursday’s and another upcoming to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, campers are acquiring conflict-resolution and team-building skills, experiencing yoga and art therapy, and learning first aid, CPR and even some basic cooking.

Department social worker Yuritzi Garduno said the camp also builds a support team for families in need.

“So when the family is going through some challenge, they have an SRO they can lean on and help them find resources in the community that they may not have known about,” she said.

THRIVE arrives one year after the department helped launch SLAM — Student Leaders and Mentorship — a seven-week program for high school students who have an interest in working as a first responder.

Building relationships

While running camps is new for Wheeling’s SROs, it’s been happening for more than 15 years in Elgin.

Now known as Kids United, the Elgin Police Department’s summer program began 16 years ago as an open gym, Lt. Jim Roscher said.

“The officers used to go back on patrol and lose touch with the kids over the summer,” said Roscher. “This gives them a chance to connect with the kids, especially the kids they know are having problems, and get to know them.”

Free to students 9 to 17 years old who attend Elgin Area School District U-46 or live in Elgin Township, the program includes sports, arts and crafts, confidence-building exercises and a cooking class called Culinary Cop. Guest speakers such as judges and city leaders stop by, and kids take field trips to water parks, sports events and theme parks.

Roscher said the department’s seven SROs build long-lasting relationships with students through the program, which runs from mid-June to early August at Abbott Middle School.

“It’s really cool how deeply we connect with these kids,” he said. “Some go through it from age 9 to 17 and then want to stay on as a volunteer.”

Pedal patrol

Like many of their suburban peers, Naperville’s school resource officers head back on patrol during the summer months.

But instead of cruising the city’s neighborhoods in cars and SUVs, Naperville’s eight SROs hop aboard bikes and ride through the downtown district. The officers work 10-hour shifts starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, so they’re around for the peak hours of the downtown dining and bar-hopping scene.

“People are drawn to our downtown by the restaurants and shopping, and having more people down there requires having more of a police presence,” said Sgt. Jonathan Pope, who supervises SROs assigned to Indian Prairie School District 204.

Leaving school for a couple of months on patrol brings about mixed feelings for SROs, Pope told us.

“At the end of the school year, we’re all excited to get to our summer assignment,” he said. “And then after a couple of weeks, we’re ready to get back to school, working with the kids.”

Hanging them up

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Mazza will retire in January, ending a 25-year run with the department.

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Mazza

Mazza, who started as a patrol officer in 1999 and became chief in 2022, oversees 43 full-time sworn officers and 12 civilian workers. During his time at the helm, he spearheaded several community-focused programs, such as having officers meet the public over coffee or ice cream cones.

The department also adopted the Ten Shared Principles, developed by the NAACP Illinois State Conference and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, about how to treat people.

“The Ten Shared Principles memorialize what I believe are 10 fundamental values our department is continuously striving to achieve, with a more intentional approach,” Mazza said.

Among his proudest accomplishments, Mazza said, are the relationship he’s built, the talent he’s recognized and ensuring his staff has had the right tools and training.

“There is a team-oriented aspect to law enforcement. You must trust the people around you,” he said. “We’ve always done that in Batavia. There’s a family- and employee-centric aspect to our department that makes this a desirable place to work.”

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