The National School Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) announced this year’s recipient of the Floyd Ledbetter National School Resource Officer of the Year Award on Tuesday.
Deputy Dan Sperry of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho Falls, Idaho was presented with the award at NASRO’s 27th annual National School Safety Conference & Exposition happening this week in Washington, D.C., according to a press release from the organization.
The event is attended by over 900 police officers, educators and security directors who receive specialized training in school and student safety.
Sperry has been the school resource officer at Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls for 17 years.
“Deputy Sperry has been a positive asset to his school district and his police department in his current capacity for 17 years,” says NASRO’s executive director Mo Canady. “He is a positive mentor for his students and builds many strong relationships as a School Resource Officer.”
Each year, nomination letters are considered by the NASRO committee when choosing a winner. Letters written by Sperry’s colleagues displayed how Sperry has gone above and beyond the expectations of the job.
One nomination letter referenced Sperry’s ability to use personal experiences to support students who have experienced loss and to help them through the grieving process.
An additional award given out at the conference was the Meritorious Service Award presented to Deputy Kevin Teague of the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in Franklin, Tennessee. Teague is credited for his quick and deliberate actions that saved the life of a first-grade student.
Officer Dustin Kato of the Chino Police Department in Chino, California was the recipient of the Innovation in the Classroom Award which is given by the National Road Safety Foundation. Kato is credited for creating and funding a program titled Safe and Sober Prom Week which included assemblies, distracted driving virtual reality stimulators, and driver training using intoxication simulation goggles.
