It’s a short trip from the Pembroke police station to the high school. If you cut through the lawn, it’s barely 100 yards. But for Officer Webber, PA’s school resource officer, it’s exactly where he wants to be. 

Officer Webber has been the PA’s school resource officer and part of the PA community for seven years. Before joining the Pembroke PD, he previously served as a school resource officer at Pittsfield Middle High School.

Officer Webber said he originally decided to pursue a SRO position after working with adolescents in group homes.  “I feel like I make a bigger difference working with kids in schools,” he said.

While serving as an SRO, Officer Webber still has to work patrol duty. During the year, he works patrol for the Pembroke PD during the school’s summer and winter breaks. 

Officer Webber said that his favorite part of the job is that no two days are ever identical working in the high school. 

“I end up being a de facto teacher and a de facto counselor,” said Officer Webber. “I could spend the whole day in a class teaching about any number of subjects, or I could end up helping a kid with problems going on at home. I never know.”

Officer Webber said that the downside to his job is that he has to write reports. For legal purposes, he has to document every incident or call.  “I could end up going to an interesting or fun call, and then having to write a five-page report about it,” he said.

The biggest issue that Officer Webber sees here at PA is vaping. 

“Not only is it illegal until you are 21, it is horrible for your health,” he said. “Kids don’t see the harm in vapes because of the flavors and fun names.”

Overall, Officer Webber said that he enjoys his job and the people he works with. “I feel at the end of an SRO shift, every day, that I did something to help someone,” he said.