Local Schools Get Full-time Police Presence

By MAGGIE MCMURRAY

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board (MVCEAB) has been concerned for a long time about the lack of a full-time school officer for local schools. Although local Metro officers have worked with the schools, they have said that they are spread thin over a large area and response time in the case of an emergency at the school might be an issue. So parents have been asking Clark County School District for a resident officer that covers only the local schools.

As a result of this request, CCSD has created a school police position in Moapa Valley schools. Officer Ray Jewett, a resident of Alamo, has been assigned as a campus officer over the four local schools. Officer Jewett has an office space at the Moapa Valley High School campus which has become his home base.

Officer Jewett brings a genuine love of kids to his job. “I went to the Nevada Las Vegas police academy and then worked in Vegas for a year before transferring to the CCSD police department. I have kids so I wanted to work with kids while having more time with my own family during the summers.”
Jewett moved to Alamo in 2009 and loves the rural Nevada lifestyle. He has a wife and four children ranging in age from 7 to 19.

Jewett worked at Mohave High School in Las Vegas before transferring out here. He admits that small town schools present a big difference to what he has been doing.
“So far the biggest challenge has been learning the community,” Jewett said. “Small town policing is way different than what I’ve been doing, but in a good way. This area is so much more family-oriented with much more parental involvement, which is great. In a lot of cases we can work with the parents, which makes things a lot less harsh.”

The main advantage local schools will see by having him here is prevention, he said. “Our goal is prevention before apprehension,” he said
He did point out that he represents the law and is not school security. “I’m not here to enforce the dress code,” he said with a laugh.

Jewett feels that his presence will have a positive effect at all the schools. At the elementary level he said that just knowing that someone is checking on them helps kids feel safer.
“I want kids to know that police are their friends and not someone who is mean and evil and always trying to catch them,” he said.

Jewett added that local Metro officers will still be in charge of the DARE program. But he will be involved in implementing other CCSD programs including “Every 15 minutes” and safety fairs for bikers and kids that walk to school.
Jewett said that his favorite part of his job is “…meeting the kids, watching them grow, and seeing what they become.”
“I love seeing the positive choices they make as they move into adulthood,” he said.

But as with most jobs, there is also a difficult side to things. “The most disappointing part of my job is when there’s no other alternative than to arrest someone because they won’t listen and they give us no option,” Jewett said. “Kids don’t realize the huge impact going to juvie; or, if they’re 18, going to jail; will have on their life.”

MVHS principal Hal Mortensen said he is pleased to have Jewett on board. “We’re excited to have him,” Mortensen said. “He’s a nice guy. He really loves the kids and is very happy to be here. He really looks like he’ll fit in and be a proactive presence on campus. We’re grateful CCSD recognized the need, listened to us, and responded.”

So far Jewett really loves it in Moapa Valley. “The people are great,” he said. “Everyone has been very accepting and welcoming of me and of the police presence in general. Even the kids have been very respectful, which has been a really nice change. I think this will be a great place to be.”