Since 2006, Portage Police Corporal Troy Williams has been assigned to Portage Township Schools as the School Resource Officer or SRO. Williams, a 15 year veteran of the Portage Police Department and a former six year veteran of the United States Marine Corps is yet another Portage Life in the Spotlight.
“My role as the School Resource Officer is just what the title entails, to be a resource to the school” Williams said.
Williams has many duties as the SRO assigned to Portage Township Schools. Not only is he responsible for the high school but for all 11 schools in the district. Though he is based in the high school, he is ready to jump into action at any time wherever he is needed.
Williams is responsible for helping the administration to enforce school policies as well as local, state and federal laws. If an incident were to ensue in which legal action needs to be taken, Officer Williams is involved as the PPD liaison to the schools. Be it drugs, alcohol or violence, Williams is in complete control of what his position entails.
Williams is also very active in the school community both in and out of uniform.
“I have had kids come to me to help them with their papers, they have wanted to interview me for their classroom projects,” Williams added, “I routinely speak to classes about the laws and those types of things.”
Williams is also the head of the Outstanding Young Man scholarship program. Williams and Portage High School teacher Matt Mahns took over when Joe Stevens left as Portage High School’s Auditorium Director. OYM is the counterpart to the Outstanding Young Woman program (formally Junior Miss).
“As the SRO you have to invest yourself in the school if you want to get the kids to buy in that you really believe in them” Williams said, “Nobody really wants violence here, it is always that one percent that cause problems. I want the students to see that I am more than just a police officer. I can provide a lot of different things to them.”
When asked about the positive spectrum of his job Williams said that he loves working with the kids at Portage High School and around the schools around the district.
Williams is also very active in the Portage Community as the League Director of Portage Youth Soccer, a coach in Portage Junior Miss and a coach in Portage Pop Warner.
“I work a lot with the youth of Portage and the values I try to instill now will hopefully help carry them on into high school.” Williams added.
School Resource Office Troy Williams is most definitely A Portage Life in the Spotlight.