<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3W7geW_1GoY7bGb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3W7geW_1GoY7bGb00" width="1200" height="749" ><figcaption>Officer John Murrary poses for a photo (Courtesy of John Murray).</figcaption></figure>After more than 30 years in law enforcement, John Murray is taking on a new role. Instead of spending his days responding to calls, he is spending them getting to know students, greeting them in the halls and becoming a familiar face in the community of Fort Thomas. Murray began his law enforcement career in 1991 with the airport police department, where he worked for about 21 years. After taking a year off to work in construction, he returned to police work at Northern Kentucky University. During his 13 years there, he spent 11 years as a K-9 handler with a bomb-detection dog. This job allowed him to work at major events, including sporting events, concerts and political rallies. His interest in law enforcement started at a young age. With a father who worked in public service, Murray grew up wanting to help people. He was also interested in solving problems, comparing solving crimes to putting together puzzles. “I just grew up wanting to help people, and law enforcement interested me. I like to solve puzzles and crimes are sort of puzzles, so it is fun,” Murray said. Now, after years of working in different areas of law enforcement, Murray is starting a new chapter as a School Resource Officer in the community. For him, the change has been a positive one. “I have reached the point in my career where being here with the elementary kids and seeing kids smiling every day, they are happy to be here. The staff, faculty and administration have been wonderful. It’s just very uplifting and fun to be around,” Murray said.One of the things he is most excited about is getting to know the students. From learning names to interacting with kids throughout the day, Murray enjoys being involved in the school community. Although he has plenty of experience in law enforcement, this position gives him a different opportunity to connect with people. “Meeting the kids, learning their names, working with three elementary schools, there’s a lot of names and it’s a lot of fun,” Murray said. Murray explained that being an SRO is different from being a patrol officer because the school becomes its own community. Instead of driving around and responding to calls throughout a city, his focus is on the students, teachers, staff and administrators in the community. One of his biggest goals is to help students feel comfortable around police officers. He wants them to understand that officers are not just people they should be afraid of or only see when something goes wrong.“When you interact with a police officer, it’s not always bad. You can have a good time interacting with them. They can be your friend, so to speak,” Murray said. He also explained that he wants every student to know they can approach him whenever they need help. He hopes to build relationships with students so they see him as someone they trust rather than someone they should avoid. Johnson Elementary Principal, Ashley Dikeos, has already noticed the difference Officer Murray is making. Even though he has only been in the position for a short time, he has made an effort to get to know students, families and staff. “Every morning he is seen greeting the students with a fist bump or a high five to get their day started off on the right foot! He has taken time to talk with students about Red Ribbon Week and Health Fairs just in this short time he has begun. He is truly a great addition to our elementary schools’ community,” Dikeos said. Along with building connections, Murray is also aware of some of the challenges students face today. He brought up social media and AI as major concerns, especially for younger kids who may not always realize that people online are not necessarily who they say they are. Murray also believes technology has changed the way people communicate. With so much interaction happening through texting and social media, he worries that people are losing the ability to have conversations face to face. “Communicating person to person, I think the phone takes that away from people. Too much texting and not as much talking in person,” Murray said. As he continues getting settled into his new position, Murray hopes to make a lasting impression on the students he meets. Whether it is a quick conversation in the hallway, a morning high five, or helping a student through a difficult situation, he wants kids to know he is there for them. After decades of serving the public, Officer Murray’s job may look a little different now, but his goal remains the same: helping people. Only this time, he is doing it one student, one hallway, and one high five at a time.</div></body>

Block Source: hhsjournalism.com

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After more than 30 years in law enforcement, John Murray is taking on a new role. Instead of spending his days responding to calls, he is spending them getting to know students, greeting them in the halls and becoming a familiar face in the community of Fort Thomas. Murray began...

Fort Thomas Schools select a new school resource officer

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After more than 30 years in law enforcement, John Murray is taking on a new role. Instead of spending his days responding to calls, he is spending them get

Fort Thomas Schools select a new school resource officer

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