ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 7, 1997 TAG: 9703070036
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA THE ROANOKE TIMES
PCHS graduate helps today's students understand the consequences of their actions.
Deputy Troy Dalton has not walked the halls of Pulaski County High School since he graduated in 1988, but the former athlete is there learning again, this time from the students.
Dalton, 27, is the school resource officer - Pulaski County's first. His salary is paid by a state grant that is meant to encourage safer school environments. Dalton believes it can help.
"I'm young enough to understand what these kids are going through," the husband and father of a 1-year-old said.
Sheriff Ralph Dobbins said Dalton is in the school to provide a positive role model, to connect with students and to deter crime. The school-police effort to build those bridges early with fifth-graders through the DARE (Drug Abuse and Resistance Education) program will be re-enforced on a different level by Dalton, the sheriff said.
"Now we talk about consequences of actions," Dobbins said.
DARE is meant to teach kids how to cope with peer pressure and tell children not to use tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs. Dalton's role is different: to help high schoolers understand that if they break the law, there will be consequences.
Karen Clymer is the director of human resources at the school and a member of the Community Violence Prevention Team that sought the resource officer grant.
"It's been a dream to do for a couple of years," she said. "We're really pleased; we wanted this person to be real visible and a positive image."
Clymer said Dalton's role is not necessarily about law enforcement at the school, but offering a positive image to students. She said she hopes students will view the police in a different light because of Dalton's presence.
Dalton returned to the high school on Jan. 2. He brought with him his experience not only as a former student, but four years in the Navy as a member of the military police and as a criminal justice major at Grossmont University in San Diego. He has been with the Sheriff's Office for 31/2 years.
His role at the school is in the experimental stage, however. He is to do whatever is needed when it is needed and document it, Dobbins said. This summer he will go over his notes with school officials and figure out what worked best so that next school year's plan will be based on experience. He still has police powers.
"Basically he is a police officer without a gun," Dobbins said.
The grant that funds the project is for one year, but it can be renewed.
A short two months into his new role, Dalton said he believes it's going OK.
"It takes time," he said about building the program.
Standing in the hall with Dalton, one knows that time is already on his side. A student walks by and throws up a hand to say hello and flashes a smile. Dalton returns the gesture and explains who the student is, what he is like and that the boy's passion is working on cars.
Two school officials enter and Dalton quickly connects with them, too. They recall the days the deputy walked the same halls as a student, and played on the football, basketball and baseball teams.
Asked what has changed since he was a student at the school, Dalton said very little. The school's population was about 3,000, with more than 800 in Dalton's graduating class alone. Now the school caters to about 1,500 students.
"All of 'em need a little guidance," Dalton said.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Daltonby CNB