Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School has a new School Resource Officer. His name is Officer Marshall. He has been a police officer for around 19 years.

After high school, Officer Marshall attended Penn State University and received his degree. Then, Officer Marshall decided to go to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to attend the police academy.

When Officer Marshall went through the police academy it was 906 hours, or equal to about three months. Today it is longer, Officer Marshall said.

Officer Marshall graduated from the police academy in December of 1998, and started working at the Lawrence Township Police Department in March of 1999. Since then he has also worked for the Clearfield County Sheriff’s Department for a few years. “I worked both places during that time,” he explained.

Officer Marshall, who has wanted to be a police officer since he was a kid, said “I became a police officer because I wanted to help people and make a difference in their lives.” He said that he has seen many different things in his career as a police officer. Officer Marshall likes to meet different people and learn about their personal background.

Officer Marshall feels that he is a fair officer, and that he treats everyone with the same respect, regardless of their status. He said ,“Being a police officer has its trying times however it does have many satisfactory events also. Many people reflect on a negative experience with police, and you just don’t seem to hear all the positive things we do.”

Officer Marshall just became our School Resource Officer a few weeks ago. He said that being the School Resource Officer is very rewarding. He has been welcomed at Clearfield High School and Clearfield Elementary School not only by the staff, but by the students as well, he said. Officer Marshall said, “The children will be safer, and I feel that my police department has entrusted me to be the officer to keep the children safe.”

He said, as the School Resource Officer, he wants the students to recognize him and know he’s here to listen to people’s concerns whether being a home problem or a school problem. “I want to have a working relationship with the students so that I can be a resource for them. I have said it many times but school is one place a kid should feel safe.”