Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Florida Association of School Resource Officers yesterday named the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Senior Deputy Ronald Gill the 2016 School Resource Officer of the Year. Deputy Gill is a 14-year veteran of the office and currently serves as the Ernest Ward Middle School resource officer.
“Deputy Gill, goes above and beyond to not only ensure the safety of students at the school he serves, but to also provide guidance to the youth in his community,†said Attorney General Bondi. “Resource officers play a vital role in the lives of students on a daily basis and I am honored to name Deputy Gill the 2016 School Resource Officer of the Year.â€
Attorney General Bondi and FASRO present the School Resource Officer of the Year award annually to a Florida officer who demonstrates dedication and tireless work ethic to enhance the lives of the students they serve.
In 1985, the Attorney General’s Office developed the first 40-hour Basic Training Course adopted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to train school resource officers with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to implement crime prevention programming in a school setting. Together, the Attorney General’s Office, the Florida Association of School Resource Officers, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Education jointly provided a number of trainings throughout the years to develop effective prevention programs and strategies for students and campuses. Each year, applications for the School Resource Officer of the Year are submitted to the Attorney General’s Office for review.