Deputy Brian Burns walks to class with Celeste Henkel Elementary student Tinley.
Deputy Brian Burns interacts with one of his students, Tinley, at Celeste Henkel Elementary School.
Brian Burns admits being a school resource officer wasn’t among his plans just a few years ago.
With the exception of raising his two daughters, he said, he spent very little time with children. That all changed seven years ago when his granddaughter, Madelyn, was born. “I bonded with her in a special way that opened my heart to children,” he said. “Being a grandfather was truly life changing and I saw kids in a new light.”
Now Burns regularly spends his work days around small children, as a school resource officer at Celeste Henkel and Sharon elementary schools, and much like the way Madelyn opened his heart, he’s connecting with the children at those two schools in a way he never would have dreamed of just a few years ago.
And just recently, Burns connected with one of the students, a young girl with special needs, in such a way that he was inspired to write a “Dr. Suess-themed” poem.
This is a far cry from the tough Marine Burns once saw himself as.
Burns has been in law enforcement for 31 years, in jobs ranging from patrol officer to chief of police for a small agency. He believes he’s found his niche now as a school resource officer but the path to his dream job wasn’t without pitfalls.
Some two years ago, Burns applied for a position as a middle school resource officer but that was filled from within the agency. “I was disappointed,” he said. Working with middle school students was where he thought his strengths could best be used.
Although disappointed, he reapplied for another position — as an elementary school resource officer. It was a new position within the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. Burns said the timing was perfect, and he was thrilled to be part of a new group of SROs. “My heart was lifted and I thanked the Lord for his perfect timing,” he said.
Two years down the road, Burns said, he knows he’s landed right where he needs to be.
That was recently reinforced when Burns met and formed an immediate connection with one student, Tinley. It prompted him to do something he said he rarely does — compose the poem for Tinley.
The poem, he said, came from working with her every day and seeing what he described as her sparkling eyes and her delight in a simple walk to class with him. “I don’t write things like this very often but I just felt that I needed to do this,” he said.
Celeste officials posted the poem and a statement by Burns on the school’s Facebook page, catching the attention of the public and, of Sheriff Darren Campbell, who said he was moved by the poem and the obvious heartfelt message Burns wrote.
“I saw that this is not just a job to him,” he said.
And, Campbell said, he immediately saw Burns is performing his job in the way he envisioned when he decided to put SROs in elementary schools.
Burns, he said, has developed relationships and is inspiring admiration from the children as well as the adults on campus. He’s also a presence that helps with a feeling of safety, for parents and the children.
Since many of the elementary schools are in rural areas, having an officer on campus provides both a sense of and a real security measure. “These are the most defenseless children and having an SRO means help is close if needed,” Campbell said.
And SROs on campuses, from elementary through high school, provides students with an opportunity to interact with law enforcement officers in a different way.
These officers form long-lasting relationships with their students and that, in turn, can reap benefits years down the road, Campbell said.
Capt. Matt Burleyson, who supervises the SROs, said as a former SRO he’s experienced that long-term relationship first hand. “I still have people come up to me and tell me how much I or other SROs meant to them,” he said.
Celeste principal Fran Saraco said building relationships is something Burns has down to a T.
“The most effective individuals in any school building are those who take the time to build connections with our most important stakeholders — our students,” he said. “I am grateful that we have an SRO who has been willing to make these valuable connections while helping to maintain order and safety. Thank you Officer Burns.”
Campbell said that while Burns’ first choice might not have been to work with elementary students, he has proven to be a natural. Campbell said Burns fulfills the role of an SRO perfectly.
“He is an example of what I want an SRO to do here at the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office,” he said.
March 24, 2021 at 06:00AM
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