Does Officer Bob sleep on the roof of the school? Does he sleep in his uniform every night? These actual questions, posed by kindergarteners, are two of many questions answered by the four liaison officers who work in the eight Eden Prairie schools. Two officers serve as liaisons to the High School and two liaisons split their time between Eden Prairie’s six elementary schools and Central Middle School. The Eden Prairie School District and the EPPD have a long history of working closely together to provide a safe learning environment for kids.
The school liaison officers provide education in the classrooms through the CounterAct program which teaches elementary students the importance of good decision making as it relates to alcohol and drug abuse, bullying, violence and property crimes. They also participate in a program called “Adopt-A-Cop” where officers go into 1st-4th grade classrooms and teach Internet Safety, Choices and Consequences, Bullyproofing, Bike Safety and Kindergarten Safety.
At the High School, liaison officers provide a high-visibility presence and respond to calls that occur within the school including any criminal activity. They also provide education to students in the areas of alcohol and drugs, traffic, personal and internet safety and legal issues.
Each school in Eden Prairie has a crisis plan and EPPD liaison officers evaluate and provide support for those plans. School liaison officers also investigate crimes involving juveniles that occur outside of school. In addition, the liaison officers plan and work at the City’s annual Safety Camp held in the summer.
The answer to the above questions is “no.” As much as Officer Bob loves his job, he does not sleep on the roof of the school nor does he sleep in his uniform at night.
