It was only 9:20 am but the halls at Sterlington High School were eerily empty. There were no students to be seen and none of the sounds you would expect on a regular school day. Tall men with weapons slid solemnly alongside the abandoned lockers, peering into doorways and moving quickly up stairwells. They communicated with looks and hand motions. The serious looks on their faces didn’t frighten me- but comforted me greatly. 

Sworn to Protect

Corporal Michael Hodges, School Resource Officer, working with the Sterlington High School and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, explained to me that this was a training event that usually takes place once a year. These men were making sure that the young people they were there to protect were going to be ready in the event of a real emergency.

While I was very impressed with how quickly the teams fanned out and carefully inspected the entire campus, the Captain and high school officials ended the exercise with a discussion on how to improve the response time of the students, the faculty and even the fast-moving officers. Although this was only an exercise, parents can rest assured. These men are prepared to protect. It is a duty they seem proud to perform and I know I feel safer.

OPSO SWAT