SRO Kauffman receives state award from Gov. DeWine
Wayne County Sheriff Travis Hutchinson, left, and Capt. Ryan Koster, right, pose with SRO Jodi Kauffman. Kauffman recently received the Stand Out Award from Gov. Mike DeWine for her ongoing dedication to the Triway School District.
Wayne County sheriff’s deputy Jodi Kauffman, a school resource officer at Triway, was one of two SROs in Ohio to receive the Stand Out Award from Gov. Mike DeWine recently during the Ohio School Safety Summit in Columbus. The district nominated her for her dedication to keeping Triway students safe.
SROs are specially trained law-enforcement officers who work in educational environments to maintain order, deter crime, and keep students and staff safe. They work closely with school administration to create a safe learning environment. Often, an SRO provides educational programs on various student-related topics and focuses on keeping students on track academically.
“I am very active in the schools,” Kauffman said. “One of the more successful events was when we hosted an out-of-state student that had a lung transplant because of his addiction to vaping. That spawned a vape education effort where businesses donated incentives like $100 gift cards and large-screen TVs for kids to stop vaping.”
Kauffman has served as an SRO since 2018 and has initiated a student safety day, a distracted driving mock crash and trial, shop with a hero, a vape buyback program, and organized a kickball tournament to promote kicking the habit of drugs.
“Keeping the kids safe is my motivation in this role,” she said. “I started working with kids in 2000, and I want to see them graduate and make good life decisions.”
A successful SRO must earn the respect of students by establishing open lines of communication so they feel comfortable expressing concerns or safety issues they face. An SRO is depended upon to provide solutions to complex situations.
“Mentoring students is very rewarding to me,” Kauffman said. “On Mondays kids will come up to me and tell me about their weekend. They trust me as a role model, and I take that trust very seriously. I am always there for them to approach.”
Beyond her role as an SRO, Kauffman also is the primary liaison between social services and mental health organizations to address issues that impact students’ well-being.
Kauffman focuses her efforts on current topics facing students.
“This year we will focus on bullying,” she said. “In the past I have focused on the dangers of drinking and driving, vaping, and suicide awareness. So this year it will be about choosing words carefully and the impact they may have on others.”
Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.