Long goodbyes at Otsego for school resource officer

TONTOGANY, Ohio (WTVG) - When the final bell rings next week at Otsego schools, Brian Ruckstuhl, the schools resource officer, knows that he’s made a lasting impact on students throughout his career, on the road, and in the classroom.

“The overall, just relationships that I’ve built with hundreds upon hundreds of kids and being able to know each individual kid or student that goes here. I’m just proud of those relationships and the way that the kids responded and how I connected with them,” said Ruckstuhl, who began his career with the Wood County Sheriff’s Department in 1990.

Ruckstuhl has spent the last nine years at Otsego, running the schools DARE program. He started that journey when the current senior class began second grade.

“Try to get their attention and hold it the whole time they’re here, where my seniors that just graduated, I meet them in second grade, and I’ve had them all these years, so when they graduated, they knew me, they knew my priorities and the relationships I’ve build with them to coexist with the DARE program,” Ruckstuhl said.

Outside of the elementary school Tuesday morning, Ruckstuhl greeted students as they were being dropped off by their parents.

“I tell these kids, they all thank me, but I thank them, they’ve helped me, just with life and everything, my career, just the best job ever is being here talking with the kids, just being here with them constantly,” Ruckstuhl said.

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