People often associate police officers with being intimidating and fierce, but they tend to forget that police officers don’t eat and sleep in their office. Our new SRO, Officer Schleusz, is no exception. 

Working at a new, unknown place can be challenging, from learning how the system works to interacting with literal strangers. However, there is a place for everyone, and Officer Schleusz, along with other new teachers and students, are figuring that out.

“[Working as an SRO] was an eye opener, and a different ballgame for sure,” Schleusz said.

Everyone has that one moment where everything suddenly makes sense, and you know exactly what to do with your life. For our new SRO, the Uvalde shooting was that moment.

“Once Uvalde happened…it made me realize that there’s probably a way I can help the department and the school so when the spot became available, I put in for it,” Schleusz explained.

Working in the police department has been a lifelong dream for Officer Schleusz, but it seemed like just a childhood wish until his passion was renewed.

“I had parents who really enjoyed their jobs, [and] I saw what it looked like to be happy at work..and I wasn’t happy, I was like, no i need to be happy,” Schleusz said, “ but eventually [I decided] to go into the field, to pull the trigger.”

Motivational figures are important to look up to, because they serve as day to day inspiration

“I always talked to my brother in law, and he had an active role in law enforcement, I always talked to him about the college he’d go to…[when I finally decided to go into the [police department], I talked to my brother in law, and he was like ‘dude what took you so long’,”Schleusz said, ” He’s always supported me, but he never wanted to influence my decisions, because he knew it was a huge responsibility,”

Family often plays a big role in influencing life paths and career choices.

“I’m married and I have two kids, a boy named Luca and a girl named Olivia, so really all my free time goes there. I also like to play sports, I like video games, and I also like to workout to relieve my stress from work,” said Schleusz.

It takes a lot of courage to work in the police department field, but Officer Schleusz accomplishments proves that he has what it takes.