Siloam Proud

DeAndra Strickland didn't see herself becom- ing a police officer when she started as a dispatcher for the Siloam Springs Police Department, but signing up led Strickland to discover her passion for caring for kids as a school resource officer. Strickland has been an officer with the SSPD for 13 years. Since graduating from the police academy in 2007, Strickland has held a variety of positions within the SSPD. She has been a patrol officer; a detective with the criminal investi - gation division; a school resource officer (SRO); and a community relations of- ficer. This year, Strickland re- turned to the job she loves most, when she was asked to take over as school re- source officer for Northside and Southside Elementary Schools because the school resource officer covering those schools went to work for Northwest Arkansas National Airport. "When he left we had a spot to fill and we didn't have anybody at the time who could meet all of the qualifications," Strickland said. "You have to have a certain amount of qualifi - cations … before you can be in this position." Strickland's superiors came to her and asked her if she could take over at the elementary schools as an SRO and still maintain her job as a community rela - tions officer. She said yes and returned to the school system. Within a few weeks, she went back to her captain and said she would like to be in charge of the SRO program at the school level when the current head of the program retires. Strick - land's captain and the chief discussed it and agreed, she said. Growing up Strickland's family moved around a little bit when she was younger, she said. Strickland lived in Garden City, Kan., New Jer- sey and Paragould, where she graduated from high school. Strickland did spend time in Siloam Springs as a child and even attended the Leach School in Rose, Okla., for a little while. In Siloam Springs, she went to school in the same South - side Elementary School building where she now works and even attended school at the middle school building. "There are actually two teachers that teach (at Southside Elementary School) that were in the same grade that I was," Strickland said. "There's another one at Northside who was in my class." Never thought about being a cop Strickland started her career as a dispatcher in 2005, she said. She worked in that field for two years before attending the police academy. "I was a dispatcher and at that time we were in the old building and we still had our jail that was fully functional and we had jail - ers that worked back there full-time," Strickland said. "We only had male jailers, so when they would bring in a female inmate, then our female dispatchers would go back and help them, getting them dressed out and conduct the searches and that was one of the things that I would have to do." When some of the of - ficers saw her interact with the female prisoners they asked her if she ever thought about being an of- ficer. She dismissed them at first, but eventually she decided to take the leap. "I've never thought about being a cop," Strick- land said. Growing up, Strickland wanted to be either a teacher or a lawyer. Be- coming a police officer en- abled her to have the best of both worlds she said. Strickland has teaching moments where she gets to be in a classroom with the kids, she said. She also gets to read books to students and speak at school assem - blies. The lawyer aspect comes from enforcing the law, she said. "I feel like I got the best of both worlds but by acci- dent," Strickland said. Strickland's superiors think highly of her. "DeAndra consistently goes above and beyond," said Capt. Derek Spicer, Strickland's immediate su- perior. "DeAndra is a very successful school resource officer while also serving as a community outreach officer." Spicer said Strickland is such a successful of- ficer that she also serves as a field training officer and teaches at both the SSPD and the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy. "Anytime DeAndra has been needed, she has al - ways answered the call and served in whatever way she is needed." Spicer said. Since the coronavirus outbreak and the shutting down of public schools, Strickland and the other SROs have been reassigned to the patrol division until schools open back up. Strickland misses the kids and does look forward to being back in the schools, she said. In the schools For Strickland, being an SRO is all about connecting with the kids. "I was at the doctor's office picking up a pre - scription for my son and there was this woman and her two kids standing in front of me," Strickland said. "The little girl turns around and looks at me, turns around and looks at me again. Finally the third time, she goes 'you work at the schools. … I thought that was you.'" Strickland works with pre-kindergarten and kin - dergarten classes at North- side Elementary School and third and fourth grades at Southside Elementary School. Her day-to-day activities include getting to enjoy time with the kids, Strickland said. "They do knuckles and high fives," she said. Strickland splits her time between the two schools, depending on where the greater need is, she said. Having cameras to moni - tor both campuses in her offices helps her keep track of what's going on. The principals of both schools, plus the office staff, have her phone number in case something arises, she said. As an SRO, Strickland is responsible for the safety of staff and students. She wants people to know she is there on the campuses, Strickland said. At an elementary school level there's more interacting with kids and talking to them, she said. "Yesterday (in early March), I went into a Pre- K class and they had two classes in there and they started their community helper week yesterday so the teacher asked me to come in and talk about what it is to be a police of - ficer," Strickland said. She read a bood to the students and told them stories of what SROs do in schools, as well as explain- ing all of the equipment she has to work with. When she is not connecting with kids or speaking to classes, Strickland does her com- munity relations work. She keeps the police de- partment's Facebook page pulled up on the computer so she can make updates as needed. "She is very genuine," said Michelle Paden, prin- cipal at Northside Elemen- tary School. "She makes connections and shows the kids that the role of law enforcement is a helper." Paden shared a story about an incident where Strickland had to arrest the parent of one of the students. Strickland had the child brought inside so they did not have to see their parent being arrested. "She is able to fulfill that role as a police officer but she doesn't forget that she is dealing with small and vulnerable children and puts their needs first," Paden said. Strickland also decorates her door in order to be involved with the kids. In February, Strickland cut out some paper hearts and took them to third grade and fourth grade classes and had the kids write who they love and why. When the hearts were returned to Strickland, she hung them on her door. In March, she planned to have little shamrocks and pots of gold and have the kids write down who was their lucky charm. Strick - land said she had picked two different classes to have write on the sham- rocks and pots of gold. Strickland did not have the chance to decorate her door for March because schools closed in mid- March due to the corona- virus pandemic. "So it's all about that in- teraction and being around them at this age to really start to set that tone and building those relation- ships," Strickland said. "When they get older and they have those issues and problems they'll feel more comfortable coming to us and talking to us." Strickland also partici- pates in programs with the kids. When she was an SRO at the middle school, Siloam Proud 8C n Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Siloam Springs Herald-Leader Strickland makes mark as school resource officer By Marc Hayot Staff Writer n mhayot@nwadg.com Marc Hayot/Herald Leader Officer DeAndra Strickland poses with her police cruiser. Since the schools shut down because of the coronavirus pan- demic she has been working patrol. Marc Hayot/Herald Leader Captain Derek Spicer (left), and Officer DeAndra Strickland discuss the flier for the police department's Look Before You Lock summer campaign. See strickland on Page 12c Hours of operation Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 1-9 153 Serenity Drive, Siloam Springs, OK 479-238-4256 on the south side of Hwy 412…approximately 1/2 mile west of the Casino. Karaoke every Saturday 6-9 1st & 3rd Tuesday doubles tournament $6 entry fee Video

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