SRO Hernandez: Protecting and Mentoring La Grande Students

LA GRANDE – As the new School Year commences, we took the opportunity to sit down with La Grande School District School Resource Officer (SRO) Deputy Justin Hernandez on Friday, September 9th. Here’s a lightly edited transcript of the conversation. Deputy Hernandez spoke about his pathway into the position what he did in law enforcement before his current position. We then transition into some of the issues facing students in School District and the response to those issues.

Listen to the Audio of the entire conversation here.

Braden Way (BW): I’m Braden Way. And here with Elkhorn Media Group joined by Deputy Justin Hernandez. How’s it going, man? 

Justin Hernandez (JH): Good, good. It’s Friday. 

BW: It is Friday… You are the School Resource Officer for, is it for the La Grande School District? What schools does that include? 

JH: La Grande high school, La Grande middle school, Central elementary, Greenwood elementary and Island City elementary school.

BW: Okay. And how long have you been the SRO? How long have you been done that job?

JH: I took this position. I interview, well, I interviewed for the position when Cody Bowen was elected as sheriff that took over January, I think, 4th of 2020 and the position became available. I put in for it, interviewed, and was offered the position, but it was an interesting time with COVID there. When I first got in the position, kids weren’t in school, it was online school. So it was like driving around kind of just familiarizing myself with the structures and the layouts and most importantly, the staff getting to know them. And then slowly [00:01:00] kids started to come back. 

BW: Was that kind of a nice learning curve for you for the new position? 

JH: It was okay. I like… I’m a trial by fire type of guy so I kind of just like to get thrown into it and, and learn my way. But it, it was nice. I could establish a relationship with the teachers I think if the kids would’ve been there initially, like I wouldn’t have had the rapport that I do have with the teachers and they wouldn’t get to kind of see who I am… but when I applied for the job, I did it for the kids. So it was kind of, it was weird being a school resource officer, and there were no kids around. Literally, for a little bit, I just went to the high schools and just hung out with teachers and, got to meet some people and just really got the layouts of the schools down.

BW: So.. weren’t you in the drug enforcement taskforce? 

JH: Drug taskforce, undercover narcotics detective before the school resource officer– school resource officer position became available. 

BW: How long?

JH: About two and a half years, probably total of about three and a half, depending on what you would classify as me being in there full time, or me working with them on certain assignments in case loads. [00:02:00] I’m very passionate about drugs, because drugs have affected my life drastically with you know, losing my mom in a drug overdose and growing up on a, on an Indian reservation where drugs are prevalent and I’ve seen it destroy families and seen what it’s done to my family personally. And honestly the only reason why I became a cop was to work in the dope culture and… loved doing it. It was a lot of fun, so much fun. And when that Measure 110 passed, it’s like, you know, drugs aren’t really a crime anymore. It’s more of a, there’s more consequences for not wearing your seatbelt than there is for carrying a certain amount of illegal narcotics. And for me, continuing my passion for law enforcement and to help people, the next best way to do that was to work with kids.

BW: How long have you been in law enforcement? 

JH: Seven years… So what brought me here was outta high school, I went and played football for the university of Idaho vandals. Had a little [00:03:00] rock bottom stage there and became academically ineligible. Went to a junior college and got an opportunity to play here at Eastern Oregon… So that’s what brought me to La Grande was literally Coach [Tim] Camp. And then the football program, then the university, then, you know, we just kind of planted our roots, my wife and I, she came here with me and loved the community they welcomed us with open arms, you know, even to my college days and, you know, with doing the law enforcement stuff and, you know, the personal training stuff. It’s it’s home. 

BW: That’s great. So being in law enforcement for seven years working, obviously in the drugs drug world for a little while now in the kids… what mindset, how has that changed for you being around kids, having to live in the education sphere versus in the drug sphere? Are you, is your aim different at all or is it, you know, just a different setting? What’s that change? That adjustment been like for you? 

JH: That’s a good– that’s a complex question. It’s a good one. Sure. So in the drug task force days you know, I wore normal [00:04:00] clothes, had a scruffy beard hats, hoodies, you know, no guns badges. They were all, you know, undercover. And I had a partner and we would go out and we would target drug dealers and you know, hunt warrants and chase literally the, the most dangerous people in our county and even in, in neighboring counties, so coming from that and being so hypervigilant and with the end goal of we’re going to put bad guy in jail and we’re gonna go home to our families at the end of the night versus going to the school and the education side of the house. It was a, it was a different transition and I think I’m finding my stride now, cuz I mean, even in patrol. And then even in the dopes, I was fortunate to have a, a partner in the detective stuff. But for patrol you’re by yourself, I mean, you, you operate alone at night and so you’re super hypervigilant.

And then in the dope stuff, you’re obviously still hypervigilant, but And I, I worked nights primarily throughout my entire career. [00:05:00] And then working in the education system where it’s like, you’re interacting and you’re talking all day and, you’re teaching classes. You don’t need to be so hypervigilant, there’s a, a, a rhyme and a reason for it if you know, situations would, would dictate that. So it’s kind of, it’s nice to allow to let your guard down a little bit and to be able to, you know, allow people to be in your bubble and kids are wanting to come up and what’s this and touching that. Before it’s like you come up and touch a cop you’re probably gonna get an arm bar and probably an arm drag to the ground. But that has changed and just my approach to it. Kids are coming up and touching me, hugging me, you know, dappin’ me up all day. And it’s, it’s different than, than what I came from. But it’s been such an awesome transition.

I mean, even for my family life, just, you know, from coming from the dope side of the house and, and not really having a schedule, it’s like, whenever there’s dope in town, we’re [00:06:00] working. Versus having a fixed schedule now, routine dinners at home with the wife and the kids. Being able to be at my son’s sporting events and not having to look over my shoulder as much.

BW: Sure. 

JH: It’s just super healthy. And I mean, I, I remember, you know, just driving around and, and seeing guys with warrants and like forgetting that I’m with my family. Because I was so, immersed in the, in the dope game or the dope culture. But now it’s like, it’s changed and it’s not like I’m not looking for you know, drug users or drug dealers. It’s like now when I’m out in the community, it’s like kids are coming up and like, this is your wife and this is Kingston? So it’s very different, but very much needed. And I’ve noticed some changes personally that I really, really do appreciate. 

BW: That’s great. Do you think in over the long run, do you think it’ll end up making you a better cop if you were to get back into patrol or whatever, or is that kind of a skillset you’d have to leave behind?

JH: No, absolutely. I [00:07:00] think there’s a time and a place for everything. This position has allowed me, it’s granted me, the opportunity to learn how to be Johnny on the spot, cause you walk by a classroom. Hey, can you come in here and talk to this kid and in law enforcement in general. It’s like you only deal with people when they’re experiencing probably one of the worst scenarios or episodes of their life, generally speaking. Right. Right. You don’t call the cops because you want ’em to come over and give ’em coffee, right. Something bad has happened. And working in, in the school setting it’s, it’s all proactive work. It is talking to these kids, mentoring these kids, teaching them right from wrong. From my perspective, not just from a teacher’s perspective but from the law enforcement. Our perspective and there’s so much that I’m gonna be able to take back to patrol when that day comes and I’m looking forward to that.

BW: To get into the SRO stuff? What do you see over the last couple years? [00:08:00] What do you feel like are some of the major issues that the kids specifically in this region, this area that you notice kids are facing.

JH: Drugs. 

BW: Drugs. 

JH: Yeah. Yeah. I don’t think a lot of people know the effects that measure 110 has had in our community. 

BW: Hmm. We’ve talked about Measure 110, but kind of explain what that does. 

JH: So Measure 110 was a bill that was passed and essentially decriminalized drugs. So on the ballot, it didn’t say anything about the decriminalization of drugs, but what happened was you can possess a certain amount of cocaine, meth, heroin, fentanyl, prescription pills. Pretty much any illegal illicit drug, a certain amount is a hundred dollars ticket. And when you get that ticket, as law enforcement, we have to provide a phone number for them to call, and then they make themself eligible for a treatment bed or a facility or they just have to call this line and make themselves eligible and then the ticket gets dropped. 

So there’s no consequences for. Possessing those drugs. Unless it’s like a, a [00:09:00] substantial amount. So with that coming into effect I mean I’m seeing methamphetamine and cocaine in the middle school.

BW: Geez!

JH: And that’s a serious drug and it starts with a small group of people or a small group of kids. And then they get a kid to try it here and there and a kid to try it. And then now it’s a problem. And I always, I always tell people my job doesn’t exist because of the kids that are on the athletic teams getting four point OHS and trying to go to college.

My job exists because of the kids that don’t have structure at home. They don’t have a good home life. Maybe their parents are involved and have some issues with addiction. Those are the kids and those are the reason why I have the jobs and, you know, am, am I gonna have some kids that make a mistake here and there? Absolutely. I was, I was one of those kids. But the drugs are a huge problem. 

And it’s going to continue to be a problem, cuz we’re just two years out from the Measure 110 [00:10:00] passing. Talking to Cody [Bowen], he’s like, “Dude, I’ve never seen like meth or cocaine, even at the high school level.” And to see 14 year old kid and to literally getting cocaine and methamphetamine off of 13, 14 year old kids and hearing about kids as young as sixth grade, experimenting with it, that’s the real problem. And it hasn’t come to What it’s going to be, in my opinion. But the fact that I’m, I’m pulling that stuff outta kid’s pockets right now. 

BW: That’s crazy. 

JH: It’s scary. It’s very scary. 

BW: So what are some of the ways that teachers in the school. That they’re responding to that. Obviously they’re calling you, but are there some other ways that they’ve responded to that issue? Or can?

JH: Well, you know honestly it’s like a hundred dollars ticket. . Here you can–

BW: Even with kids? 

JH: Yeah. It doesn’t, it doesn’t matter. Yeah. Juvenile up to an adult. I mean, it doesn’t change anything.

It’s just a hundred dollars ticket if it’s a below a certain amount. And so what we’re doing, and I believe the biggest tool to that is education . [00:11:00] So myself, Scott Carpenter and Theresa Dody have recreated What was once called the D.A.R.E program. We recreated it and now it’s more of education based on drugs, cuz even though D.A.R.E did it, there was like still some bullying stuff in there. And, you know, some crossword puzzles and some stuff that’s like, how is this going to keep kids from doing drugs? Like how can we make this more effective? 

 We put all of our heads together and recreated this, this program, and it’s a educational series and I’ll be doing it all the elementary schools. And it’s gonna give them strategies and tactics to get out of those situations.

 But they’re gonna, it’s going to allow them and we’re teaching them strategies and tactics that you can apply to a lot of situations and scenarios in life, not just drugs. So we’re gonna take that, give them those tools, but also we’re gonna educate on drugs. Hey, here’s what it looks like, here’s why you don’t want to do it. Here’s some pictures of some “meth mouth” and, and the reason why we want to do that is because this is fifth grade when they get to the big school, the [00:12:00] next big school, the middle school. What do we want? Do we want that to be the first time they see meth, right?

That could resemble candy that could resemble marijuana gummies in gummy bear form. You know, vaping is another huge problem. Do we want to wait until they’re already exposed to it before we start educating ’em on it? So I believe the way that we combat them is to teach them about it before they get there.

 Hey, here’s why it’s bad. You know, I’m not, I’m not gonna say, oh, you know, don’t do it. You know, because it’s bad for your health. Well, here’s some actual facts. Here’s why it is bad here. 

BW: What, what it looks like when it goes bad. 

JH: Here’s what it looks like when it goes bad. And it doesn’t just start, I’ve never met a drug addict that just went straight to methamphetamine or heroin.

 Typically it started with cigarettes and then they’re like, oh, wonder what marijuana is like, and then marijuana leads to another drug and it’s kind of this snowball effect. So if we can get kids to stop or not even try that first cigarette or that take that first [00:13:00] puff of vape or the nicotine pouches.

Or if they just have an understanding of like, “Hey, this is where the road goes. Maybe, maybe it’s not gonna be so enticing. Maybe the, the I guess the excitedness of, of kind of trying that or the curiosity it’s like, I’ll tell you what it’s gonna get you and it ain’t gonna go over good. So let’s not waste our time trying it so that’s what we’re doing at the fifth grade level. And then… 

BW: Have you guys already started this or you’re developing the program?

JH: It’s– so we’re doing a workbook right now and that’s, that’s been sent off to proofs. It’ll be implemented this year, so the kids [this year] will go through it.

They’re gonna get a certificate and we’re gonna take a lot of the, the best parts of D.A.R.E and the format and the layout and we’re gonna implement what we believed is good from dare mm-hmm and we’re just gonna change and kind of tweak some things..

BW: For a Measure 110 world. 

JH: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And it’s not, like I said, it’s not just about drugs. It’s about giving them the ability to make decisions that’s gonna impact them for the rest of their lives. And to take what I call the high road. Right. And so that is one thing that I’m very passionate about. [00:14:00] Cuz every single day you’re gonna have those decisions and you’re gonna have to make a decision and that decision can lead to another decision.

But if we can. Have the ability to kind of step back, evaluate the situation, make the best decision for me, and what’s gonna benefit my future. Then we can take that and run with that for the rest of our lives. At the high school level, I do a drunk driving class, ODOT, has given me the drunk goggles. Kids love those and they’re a great tool. So I educate them on that and hopefully that’s not gonna be a thing. 

BW: Talk about the drunk goggles? What exactly do they do? 

JH: Oh, so a what a drunk Goggle does is it creates the, the physical and mental, well, not really the mental, but the physical state of being intoxicated

 and each Goggle has a certain BAC, which is a blood alcohol content. S on the goggles. So like the, the higher, the BAC, the harder the goggles are to work and the harder it is just see and function. So we take those and we progress ’em and I run ’em through standardized field sobriety tests, and I show them the tests that we do.

 And it’s like, look guys, if, if you’re intoxicated and you get pulled over (hopefully [00:15:00] it’s not a crash or something). These are what we look for. There’s no, “Oh, I’ve only had two beers.” We’ve all heard it all. Here’s what we look for. And alcohol does this to the system and we will see these indicators and here’s why it’s not even worth doing it.

So doing that at the high school, but I’m also doing an addiction studies class, so it’s a three day series. 

BW: Interesting. 

JH: Yeah, it’s really cool. So when I lost him on to a drug overdose, I took, I think it was like 12 credits on addiction studies. My senior year, I just needed some filler classes while working at the Sheriff’s office and kind of finding my way. I was a reserve…

BW: Here at Eastern?

JH: Yep. Here at Eastern. Yeah. So I took some addiction studies classes cause I was curious on it. Cuz I was like, why did this have to be my Mom? Like I need to know more about this because she loved us. Right? So why couldn’t she give this up for us? And. We’re here. No longer with this. 

So dove into it, learned a lot about it. So I take what I learned in those classes. What I’ve learned in my life, how it’s affected me. And I talk about it for two days. I [00:16:00] talk about tolerance, independence and how the physiological response To foreign substances and how that works.

 And I talk about it from sugar, caffeine to nicotine, to marijuana, cocaine. And I actually tell them how addiction works and how our body responds to being introduced to drugs. And so they have an understanding of it. And the big one is like, like alcohol, right? There’s actually a small portion of drinking alcohol when it’s actually enjoyable.

Because alcohol is a depressant. So if they understand it, like, as you’re drinking, your BAC is climbing, that’s the only time that a body’s secreting endorphins and when it feels good. And so if they have this understanding and see how it all works, no what’s going on. Yeah, then, then maybe it’s like, eh, I don’t want to go down that road.

 Like, it’s, it’s not for me. Or, you know, say they do, they’ll have the ability to pull themselves out because they understand how addiction works. Back to the education piece: On day three, I have somebody that I’ve worked with in the culture. In the drug culture or just in the law enforcement community, who was an addict 

I’ve [00:17:00] had, I’ve been doing it for two years, I had one girl who went from varsity soccer starter to addicted, hooked on heroin, homeless, living in her car two years after high school. She came in and told her story. And now she’s clean and doing great and has her kid back and it’s, it’s a very beautiful thing. 

And then last year I had a guy do it, who got in trouble in high school and it started with smoking marijuana. Then the judge granted him the opportunity to go to the military, clean himself up. Well he got kicked outta the military, got a DOI moves to Elgen Oregon girlfriend breaks up with them. Dabbling in. Tries methamphetamine. Then he just goes on a rampage for six years and tells his story through that. And now he’s clean and sober and he is a certified drug and alcohol mentor. And now he’s here to say like, “Hey guys, I’ve done everything that you don’t ever want to do. It’s not worth even trying it. So take it from me.” 

Because they hear it from their parents. They hear it from a teacher, they hear it from me. None of us have ever, probably experienced [00:18:00] that, but they hear it from somebody like him or like the young lady, right. That comes in and tell her her story. They can relate to that. And they’re saying that it’s not worth it. It’s completely ruined their life. 

And it starts with vaping and tobacco and nicotine, and it just kind of opens the gateway and, and, and reduces that kind of the moral threshold of like, should I try this or should I not? Because if there’s no consequences for drugs anymore, like, you know, being a felon would probably stop somebody from wanting to do that, not being able to hunt and fish and , possess guns, but now that’s not a thing anymore, so why not try it?

Everybody else is doing it. They’re alive. I’m not gonna die anymore. And then now we want to talk about fentanyl and now you know, growing up, my dad used to tell me don’t do drugs. You could die. And it; probably not a thing. Right? Well, now it’s a thing. It’s a thing. It is a, it is a very valid thing.

BW: Are you seeing fentanyl in the high school?

JH: No. Thank God, you know, no fentanyl, but heroin’s not something that’s really appealing to that age group. 

Okay. 

That age group likes stimulants. They [00:19:00] like to go, they, you know, drinking three energy drinks a day and that’s why, you know, cocaine seems appealing and methamphetamine for some ’cause it just kind of keeps them going.

BW: Interesting. 

JH: Yeah. But I fear the day that it does show up ’cause I mean, I don’t know if you’ve seen the news lately, but now they have this stuff out there called like rainbow fentanyl or candy fentanyl. You’ve seen that?

BW: Yeah. 

JH: It looks like candy. I don’t want kids to think that it’s candy and then it be a fentanyl because of how tolerance works. Yeah. If it’s their first time being introduced to a substance, I mean, we’re talking something, the grain of salt could put a kid into an overdose episode.

I, I hope that we never have to deal with that. Yeah. But once again, if there’s no consequences, what’s stopping ’em from getting in the schools.

And that’s where that education piece comes in. Yep. 

BW: Are you guys getting any pushback, any kind on, on what you’re doing? Any obstacles on, on any of this stuff? 

JH: Had nothing but support. 

BW: Good. 

JH: There was a little bit of hesitancy when we were talking about taking, changing the D.A.R.E. Program a little bit. But that was early on and I [00:20:00] knew what I wanted to be, in my head, but I’ve never developed an, a curriculum before. 

When it comes to getting fifth graders to comprehend that stuff and being able to communicate and portray the correct message. It’s taken some time, but now I think we’re all very excited about it. I’m excited to teach it! And I know that the teachers they’re excited to have it again.

Mm-hmm because with school being. You know, I mean, this is their first normal school year. Yeah. Last year it was kinda kind of a little wonky and the year before it was like, there wasn’t D.A.R.E.. So I know that the teachers are really looking forward to having that presence and the, the relationship and rapport building that goes along with teaching that class and the kids.

BW: Yeah. So I guess this would be the first real school year, since [Measure] 110. Passed, right? 

JH: Yeah. And my first full time real school year. 

BW: So talking about vaping. Did I hear they added some scanners and…

JH: and yeah. Vape sensors. Vape sensors. And that’s a that’s a problem too. 

BW: The scanners or just the vaping… 

JH: Vaping. Yeah. I mean, it’s, it’s a, it’s an epidemic. Yeah. 

BW: That’s what I’ve [00:21:00] heard…

I mean, we get so many vapes up there. Mm-hmm it’s it’s crazy in Oregon. Yeah. 

Is it the THC? Cannabis? 

JH: It’s the nicotine.

BW: Okay. 

JH: Yeah. And the thing about with nicotine and the tobacco industry targets kids. It’s a strategy, right? Because they make things fruity loop flavors, lucky charms, tricks for kids and they do all these flavors that are candy flavored. Well, who are they targeting? Kids. Right. And what does that mean for them. Generates revenue, money, lifelong clients. And with the vaporizers, they taste like candy. And talking about kids and we’re gonna kind of go down the road here talking about kids that like stimulants nicotines is seen as stimulant so you go to the bathroom, you take a hit, it tastes like a purple Skittle and you feel good.

You go to class. You don’t stink like a cigarette. 

BW: How, how old are these kids?

JH: Middle school. Yeah, I got ’em off elementary kids too. So, I mean, it’s, it’s starting at that age. Right. And the tough part’s like, you know, “Where’d you get it?” It’s like, “Oh, my mom bought it from me.” And it’s like, “Here we go.”

 In Oregon is no longer [00:22:00] a violation for minors to possess tobacco or inhalation products. 

BW: Really? 

JH: Yeah. So I can’t cite kids for it anymore. So we suspend ’em, we’re creating a cessation program to where there’s an educational piece to it before they can come back to school. They have to complete this program on vaping print a little certificate and they can come back.

BW: What are, what are some of the risks that come out of the vaping stuff? Is that it’s that next step in the addiction chain? Is that the biggest problem or just the fact that they are addicted? What are some of those effects do you think? 

JH: Yeah, that’s a loaded question. Well, first of all, we don’t know.

There’s no long term studies on what vapes do to lungs. We don’t know what 20 years of vaping looks like, because they became a thing in 2004. And in 2004, it was like in different countries, they were a thing and kind of evolved from the hookah. Now we’re like three years into it state side where it’s, you know, they’re thing and they’re everywhere. Every gas station, they have them. So we don’t know the long term effects from it, but when any kid [00:23:00] gets dependent on a substance, that’s a problem.

 That’s all they can think about. They can’t function. They’re not focusing on school when it comes to that. That slowly begins to take place over sports and academics. And it’s they, they can’t function at school without it, and they’re moody and they have mood swings. So then we have some behavioral problems that we have to worry about at school.

BW: And this is at the nicotine level.

JH: This is nicotine. Yeah. Yeah. And then it becomes a priority. And once again, that, that threshold of the, the curiosity threshold of like, well, you know, what is marijuana like? 

And then, then marijuana becomes, and it’s just a, it’s a revolving door, then it just goes to the next one. The next one, because they’re always wanting to seek something more, right. A little bit more. . 

But yeah, the high school is getting vape sensors. 

BW: So they haven’t been put in yet but they’re in the process. 

JH: In the process, yeah. I, I I don’t know if some of them have been installed , but I, I know that they’re, they’re working on it . And I that’ll, that’ll be, that’ll be big for us cuz I mean, you’re vaping in the high school. I mean, I’ve [00:24:00] even talked to kids. They’re like, you know, I don’t like going to the bathroom because everybody’s in there plugging on a vape.

And two it’s kind of intimidating. So kids aren’t, it’s affecting. Daily school functions of kids just being abused. The restroom. When you walk in there, it’s a cluster of kids and they’re vaping. Kids aren’t, you know, kids that don’t want nothing to do with that. Don’t even go in there. 

So then they’re asking to go during class and it’s just disrupting and it’s… 

BW: Affects the whole culture. 

JH: Yeah.

BW: What do you want parents, community members, leaders. What do you want them to know? I guess, about what’s going on in their school here in La Grande specifically. If you could tell him anything when you want to. 

JH: I would like them to know that the La Grande School District does a very good job of keeping the kids best interest, a priority from, from what I see and I’m in on a lot of the meetings and I’m privy to a lot of information that the public probably isn’t and we’ve went through some tough times with COVID but I will say that [00:25:00] the LA grand school district administration does a really good job of prioritizing the kids’ needs.

 And sometimes it’s hard to understand that when there’s you know, state or federal guidelines in place, but I’m, I’m impressed with their ability to keep the focus on the kids. Even though at times it may not seem like that, but it’s always been the kids and, and having in-person school. 

And so now that we’re beyond that and now that we’re in school, I would just ask You know, the parents to, to work with the school. Because we have a lot of, from what I’ve seen, there’s a lot of parents that rely on the school system to do the parenting and that’s very hard to do.

So that’s a whole ‘nother dynamic in general and the school, they can only do what they can do. They’re only with them for, you know, seven hours a day. And sometimes it’s just one teacher for one hour. But to work with the school because the school wants nothing. But what’s in the best interest for every kid mm-hmm and the school district isn’t going [00:26:00] out, targeting kids or doing none of that. If your kid makes a mistake, you know, they make a mistake. 

When it comes to the drop off in the school zones it’s chaotic in the mornings and I can only be in so many places. And La Grand Police Department does a really good job of, of helping me do the School Zone patrol. So I do appreciate that.

But they just need to keep in mind that there’s hundreds of parents that are trying to do the exact same thing and that’s drop their kids off, get ’em in and out. And I guess the, the best way to make that efficient is to take some extra time in the morning, leave early because what I don’t like people are flipping U-turns in the middle of the road and causing, you know, traffic jams.

Be cautious of that. Have a plan and if you’re commuting and if you’re not a parent you’re commuting around the schools, that’s probably not a good area to try to drive through work. So just have a plan to get around it. 

And also the on sunset drive between H and K up by the hospital. There’s some construction going on up there, so that throws kind of a hink in, in people’s operations and their [00:27:00] routine in the morning. So just you know, understand that, that, that by-way up there is closed in between the schools.

Anything else you can share?

Yeah, we’ll talk about bicycles. 

BW: Okay.

JH: So weather’s good. A lot of kids like to ride their bikes to school, bike theft is now I guess it’s probably always been a thing, but it’s been a thing in my new world of the school resource. (chuckles)Yeah. School resource officers. So if your kid rides a bike to school, obviously we want to wear helmets, you know, be safe with the crosswalk, all the safety rules, but it would make my job a lot easier if all of our parents sent our kids who ride bikes to school at the bike lock.

We kind of had a big ring of bike thefts last year and there was like a series of like three that occurred in like a 40 minute span. And I was fortunate enough to get pretty lucky and get all of them back and find the responsible parties . But if there were bike locks, it wouldn’t have been a problem.

So if your kid ride a bike teach ’em how to use a bike lock, make sure that they do because it makes my job a lot easier. And I can only imagine what my bike being stolen at that age. That would’ve been the end of my [00:28:00] life. So. I don’t like to see kids emotional over losing a bike when it’s like, Hey man, like you should have locked it up. You know, that would’ve solved this problem. 

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