YOU’LL SEE him roaming the halls during class time. You can find him in the cafeteria at lunch, sitting with a group of students, getting the news of the day. He lends a hand whenever an instructor or faculty member needs one. He is also often one of the first on campus and among the last to leave long after the 3 o’clock bell has rung.
For Cpl. Matthew McPeak, school resource officer (SRO), days can be long. However, the rewards of his profession make every day a good one at Lebanon High School, his alma mater. McPeak said that serving the community at his favorite high school has been a longtime dream of his.
“I graduated from Lebanon High School. I still remember my SRO from when I was a student, and I still have a relationship with him today. So, it was a dream of mine to also be an SRO here,” McPeak said.
With a 20-year career as a police officer, McPeak stepped into the role of SRO in 2012. Working in numerous areas of law enforcement, McPeak said working as an SRO was a longtime career goal of his.
“It was something I had an interest in,” he explained. “I knew some guys that had gotten into that division, and they really liked and enjoyed it. At the time, I was working patrol, which I liked, but I didn’t feel like I was making a difference there.”
Since stepping into his role as SRO in 2012, McPeak has kept busy in making a difference for area youth. He has been involved with and served on the board of DrugFree WilCo (DFW), a coalition dedicated to combating the effects of the opioid crisis on Wilson County.
“My oldest son was in high school at the time, and I was his SRO,” McPeak explained. “I was looking for something he and I could participate in together, and we got involved with the Youth Prevention Coalition. The Youth Prevention Coalition is the juvenile arm of DFW, and they work to educate on any substance abuse that affects juveniles. I believe there were just six students representing all of the county’s high schools at the time. We worked and grew the program and continued to move forward with it. Now, we currently have a Youth Prevention Coalition in every high school in the county.”
He has served as the chapter president of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association Andrew Jackson Chapter. In 2023, McPeak was nominated as the 2023 adult nominee for volunteer service for the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards.
McPeak added that he feels helping this coalition to grow is among his most beneficial accomplishments to date as an SRO.
“Just the things we’ve been able to do for the students has been rewarding. With the programs we’ve held and the information we’ve been able to get out, I feel like it’s had a huge impact,” he said.
Another impactful event with the coalition that McPeak is most proud of is his work with a mock DUI crash that would take place around the end of the school year. The event even gained recognition and was recognized in 2023 by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for the school’s work with the mock DUI crash and the impact it had on young drivers with the Silver Safety Award through the Reduce TN Crashes Traffic Safety Award Program.
“I would call in just every community partner I could think of,” he explained. “A local towing company would donate a wrecked car. Fire, police, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol would contribute manpower, and there were even students who participated in school’s theater program who wanted to play the victims of the crash. Teachers would bring their junior and senior students out and they were able to get the whole experience of an actual crash. I received a lot of positive feedback from students and parents. Currently, we hold the mock crash every other year and it is still having a lifesaving influence on the students. It’s something I’m very proud of.”
Now over a decade into the position, McPeak understands just how important his and his fellow SROs’ roles are inside the school system.
“It’s incredibly important,” he explained. “Most people look at that position, and the first thing that comes to their minds is safety, and that is the primary function of us. But we also are heavily involved in community outreach. When I first started, I was in the elementary schools, and there were children that [were] somewhat scared of policemen because they didn’t know us. By being there each day and getting to spend time with them, I was able to make them feel more comfortable and see us in a positive light. That positive relationship with me enables them to have an overall positive relationship with law enforcement as they grow into adults.”
McPeak added that it’s important to remember just how significant our youth are and how important a positive influence is for their and the community’s success.
“It might sound cliche, but the youth are our future,” he said. “We are going to get old, and we’re going to not be in charge anymore. We’re going to retire, and these students are going to be taking care of us. They are literally our future. So, the more that you can pour into them now, the greater return we’re going to have and the greater return to society we’ll have. I don’t think there’s anything more important than teaching, molding, and influencing young people.” GN
