ASHLAND – For many students, staff and parents, the new face in Ashland’s public schools is a welcome presence.
Jeremy Jarvis began March 19 as the Ashland Police Department’s school resource officer, making the rounds and handling incidents in all five of Ashland City Schools’ school buildings as well as Ashland County Community Academy.
“He will be rotating through the buildings so no one knows where he is at any given time and no one can plan anything,” Police Chief Dave Marcelli said.
Jarvis’s job is not only to respond to issues as they arise, but to prevent problems by being present in uniform and building rapport with students.
“Probably more than anything it’s relating with kids,” superintendent Doug Marrah said of Jarvis’s role. “It’s conversations with kids, maybe out there playing kickball with kids or sitting in the lunchroom talking to kids … Even though he’s a fairly large man and he wears a lot of equipment, kids have flocked to him already.”
Mayor Matt Miller said Jarvis’s calm and gentle disposition stands out as he interacts with city residents of all ages.
Prior to this appointment to the position, Ashland Police were without a school resource officer for about five years.
Marcelli said as soon as the safety services levy for police and fire passed in 2016, the department made plans to reinstate the position in fall 2018. The delay was designed to allow adequate time for new officers to train with veteran officers before pulling a veteran officer off the streets, Marcelli said.
The Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Florida prompted the city to modify its plan to get an officer in the schools as quickly as possible.
Jarvis had a hectic first week, getting acclimated in all the schools and responding to a social media threat that closed ACCA and resulted in low attendance in Ashland City Schools on Friday.
Already, Jarvis said, he is seeing students becoming more receptive to his presence in the buildings.
“Now they’ll make eye contact and say ‘Hi’ back, so I’m hoping each day is going to get better,” Jarvis said.
He has 17 years of law enforcement experience but began his work career with 14 years in the construction field.
In 2000, Jarvis decided to enter the police academy and took a part-time job with the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, which sponsored his academy training.
He worked part-time as a road deputy for seven years while maintaining the construction job.
“I would work a swing shift 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., so I would still work construction during the day,” Jarvis said. “I don’t know how I did it … It was tough.”
Jarvis was hired as a full-time patrol officer with Ashland Police Department in February 2008. In that role, he spent eight years working the night shift and has been on the day shift for about two years.
He feels honored to have been chosen from among six internal applicants for the school resource officer position.
“I got into this job to help people that can’t help themselves and to try and make a difference in the community,” he said. “I know kids nowadays have a negative view on law enforcement. I’m hoping to change that. I want to be seen around the schools here and show them that we’re here to help, not to take them to jail.”
A 1994 Hillsdale High School graduate, Jarvis lives in Hayesville with his wife, Amy, and 13-year-old daughter, Reece. Amy works as an occupational therapy assistant in Ashland City Schools.
In his spare time, Jarvis enjoys hunting, golfing, playing basketball and spending time with his family.
