Newtown Ripples: Clark Lane Middle School’s New Police Officer

Waterford Police Officer Steve Whitehead has been spending more time at Clark Lane Middle School. A lot more time.

“I’m there every day,” he said. “If there is school, I’m there.”

During the police department’s budget hearings in January, Police Chief Murray Pendleton announced he was planning on assigning a police officer to the middle school full-time (there is already a police officer stationed at Waterford High School). At the time, Pendleton said the shooting in Newtown factored into his decision.

“Sandy Hook has changed things,” he said.

Whitehead has filled that role, an officer who has been working with youth since 1992 when he worked as a DARE officer. Since, he co-authored the Challenge program, which replaced the DARE program in Waterford, and worked as a school resource officer at Waterford High School.

“I’m glad to be here,” said Whitehead, a father of two. “At this age it is all about education, prevention and making sure kids have the knowledge and life skills for high school.”

Whitehead said he hopes to build a positive relationship with the students so they see the police as people who can help, instead of the enemy. He also will meet with students “when asked,” and said he will be involved in investigations and some situations at the school.

He also did not shy away from the new fear that the Newtown tragedy has brought to the families throughout the United States, particularly to Connecticut. He said he will work to prevent something like that from ever happening, but said those red flags are different in every person.

“You can never truly be prepared for something like that,” he said. “We are as prepared as we can be for what we know to be prepared for, and that is always changing.”