Former School Resource Officer
In 2014, Officer Melissa Ford became a School Resource Officer for the AZ School Safety Program. Her enthusiastic approach in everything she did was evident as she attended as many academies as she could to perfect her skills with implementing effective LRE. It soon became clear that she would make a wonderful addition as LRE Academy Faculty. Her passion in sharing what she has learned with others and innovative teaching approaches that inspire learning and engagement, enable her to pass on this expertise during trainings.
Officer Ford is highly knowledgeable on the accurate application of the law, specifically impacting youth, and emphasizes ways to help students understand the social and academic consequences of risky behavior. One of Officer Ford’s strong suits during lesson development is creating scenarios. She utilizes her experience working with youth to create real-life situations that students can relate to, leading to more impactful lessons. As a former School Resource Officer, Officer Ford uses this firsthand insight with bridging the School Safety Program requirements with trainings for officers. She explains the purpose of a School Safety Officer on school campuses with their desire to keep schools safe and free from violence while educating students, staff, and parents on effective prevention strategies. The Foundation is honored to have Officer Ford as faculty and looks forward to future collaboration!