A Day In The Life Of A School Resource Deputy

Deputy George Hedricks allowed our cameras to follow him at Dos Pueblos High School to show us what these specialized officers to on a daily basis.

Hedricks checks in at the office, then greets students on campus.

There are more than 2,000 students and staff on campus and Hedricks knows many of them by name.

“From there anything can happen throughout the school day. I generally walk the daytime, walk campus, walk neighborhoods, drive neighborhoods and mingle with kids as much as possible,” he said.

After a 15-year-old student allegedly sent threatening emails to staff members, Hedrick’s quick actions lead to an arrest.

“For me it’s comforting. It’s nice to know that someone is there to protect us, to look out for us. He has our best interests,” student Nicholas Noggle said.

“It’s a thought process that goes on to stop bad things before they happen because they know he’s here and he’s not going to let you go,” student Michael Boelter said.

Hedricks said he doesn’t spend all of his time enforcing rules.

“You do a lot of counseling. You meet with families. You meet with kids going through a hard time, whether its something at home, grades, or maybe a break-up at school. It’s really a lot of different things that kids deal with today,” Hedricks said.

The Santa Barbara Unified School District is losing its resource officer next year because of a staffing shortage in the police department.

Hedricks will return to Dos Pueblos next year.

He is also a volunteer baseball coach at the high school.

It will be his fifth year on campus.

“It’s rewarding to make an impression. To see a kid in his freshman year who I had a lot of concerns about, to see him now as a senior set up to graduate, that makes the job worth it,” Hedricks said.