Southlake police build community at Carroll schools

It’s lunch time and Student Resource Officer Frank LaGrassa is making the rounds in the cafeteria at Walnut Grove Elementary.

He opens milk cartons and packages of Goldfish Crackers, helps heat up items in the microwave and gives out hugs to the kids who come up to him with their arms open wide.

The students adore their resident policeman.

First-grader Ashton Schroeder said, “He helps me and he’s nice.”

Lindsay Burdi, another first-grader, agrees. “He’s fun and he’s nice. Most police officers say ‘no’ but he says ‘yes’ most of the time,” Lindsay said.

Classmate Lincoln Schlief said, “He protects us from robbers and bad stuff.”

This is the third year that the Southlake has placed a student resource officer in all 11 Carroll district schools. Prior to 2013, there were three SROs at the secondary campuses. The program costs about $900,000 and is funded by a one-eighth of a cent crime control and prevention tax.

Police Chief James Brandon said, “The program is working extremely well for us and for the community. One, it improves safety and reduces the fears of students, and it’s also showing law enforcement as a positive influence from a young age.”

School officers can teach anti-bullying and drug and alcohol abuse prevention while building relationships, Brandon said. When students get older and run into more serious problems, they are more likely to reach out to an SRO for help.

For LaGrassa, a 26-year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department with four years as a student resource officer in secondary schools, working in an elementary school since fall 2013 has been a welcome change of pace.

“It’s a completely different experience,” LaGrassa said. “You’re in more of a law enforcement role in middle and high schools. At times there were criminal violations, assaults, drugs. You don’t find any of that here.

“Here, in the short term, it’s a safety focus, and long term, building relationships with students and parents.”

‘Feeling Safe With Officer Frank’

LaGrassa tries to be the first person at Walnut Grove Elementary each day, arriving by 6:45 a.m., and the last person to leave after teachers and staff members have completed their duties.

At morning drop off, he opens car doors, greets students by name and jokes with parents. Once the school day starts, he may appear on morning announcements to talk about bicycle safety or stranger danger. He makes his rounds, checking doors and outside areas.

LaGrassa spends more than two hours helping out during lunches and later may visit classrooms to read a book like, “Feeling Safe With Officer Frank.”

At dismissal, he helps direct traffic and makes sure buses leave on time.

Lori Berry, mom of a kindergartner and fourth-grader, said, “He brings a sense of security and outreach. There’s a good connection between public safety and school, and he personally goes over and above to get to know kids.”

Going over and above expectations includes attending kids’ softball games, recitals and plays. He helps out with school fundraisers, offering the Parent Teacher Organization opportunities to auction off “Pizza with Officer Frank” lunches. Over the summer, he coached a coach pitch baseball team that included many boys from Walnut Grove. He organized an All Pro Dad program at the school to encourage strong parenting.

Principal Betty McIlvain said, “Officer Frank is our go-to guy for safety and for school culture. He’s someone who cares deeply about our families.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 9:56 AM with the headline "Southlake police build community at Carroll schools."