The Wrangell Police Department has hired a new school resource officer after receiving a $218,000 federal grant to help pay for the position. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice and will pay for 75% of the officer’s salary over the next three years.

The department started its search in November and hired Seyon Williams, a 21-year-old Wrangell resident, who officially joined the department on Jan. 20.

Before he begins his work in the schools, Williams must complete an extensive training process that includes 17 weeks at the Alaska Department of Public Safety academy in Sitka, followed by 12 weeks of field officer training.

Once his initial police training is finished, Williams will attend specialized classes with the National Association of School Resource Officers.

Police Chief Gene Meek noted that having an officer dedicated to schools is a common practice in many communities.

“I think this position has been long overdue for a while now,” Meek said of the first-ever hire for Wrangell.

The chief explained the new role is designed to build positive relationships between law enforcement and young people. Williams will have offices at the elementary school and the middle and high school campuses to ensure he can spend time with students of all ages.

“A school resource officer serves as a lynchpin for good relations with the youth in this community,” Meek said. “We want kids to feel comfortable with coming to us. We don’t want them to feel intimidated and stay away from us.”

Williams grew up with a positive view of law enforcement because of the resource officer at his high school in Las Vegas.

“I have been thinking about getting into law enforcement since high school,” Williams said. “And I have already been able to help with different community projects that involve cooking, and I was a substitute teacher for a little while at the school.”

The new officer admitted to having some normal nerves about the responsibility of the job. However, he expressed excitement about the chance to connect with residents in a meaningful way.

“I think I would be foolish not to be a little bit nervous about this job, but I’m really looking forward to connecting with the community,” Williams said.

The department plans to send Williams to the academy sometime between March and July. Meek also intends to send a second officer to the specialized school training to ensure the department has extra expertise in this area.

“I believe in doubling up, so I will be sending another officer with Seyon to the NASRO (national organization) training,” Meek said. “I haven’t decided who that officer will be yet, but we have some really good candidates for that here.”

While the exact schedule depends on academy dates, the department hopes to have the new officer working on campus by the start of the next school year.