Since the beginning of the school year, you may have seen a striking bearded School Resource Officer walking the halls of Carroll; Officer Gater.
Former Student Alumni Kyle Gater has returned to Carroll after 10 years and has had a great time re-meeting his former teachers and staff members, now as a staff member himself. This is Officer Gater’s first year as an SRO, his former experience being on the SWAT team and Patrol Division of the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.
If a high school was a janky stove, the SROs would be the fire extinguisher. SROs are a crucial point in making a high school run properly. Without SROs, many dangers, such as fights, drugs, and weapons, can fly under the radar of any high school in a matter of days. SROs are also here to listen to students’ problems and complaints if they ever feel unsafe elsewhere to do so or if they’re just having a really bad day.
“Sometimes stuff goes on in the community, sometimes stuff goes on at home…” said Gater, “Kids need advice, parents need advice, and he plays the role to the students and the community as a resource to help them.”
Officer Gater has an extensive history with the school, being a graduate from 2009-2013. Officer Gater was a 4-year member of the Track team & a 4-year member of the Cross Country team. He was also a part of the Senior Gift Committee and the Common Sense Club during his senior year. Officer Gater got 13th place at the New Haven Invitational in 2013.
“I ran the week before that well, so if I could I would’ve run that race better. I know that race had more of a workout which made everyone tired, but if I could I definitely would’ve run better,” said Gater.
Officer Gater was surprised to get into action on Friday, August 25. During the home football game, a few students tried to sneak into the game. Officer Gater quickly arrived and escorted the students out of the stadium.
Officer Gater was glad the encounter ended without complication. “When we walked outside the gate everybody ran to the parking lot, so I don’t think they wanted to do anything. But… they had a lot of… talk,” Gater said
Officer Gater was asked if he would be comfortable dealing with a Kanine, to which he said yes. The canine trainers say they will be able to give Officer Gater a Canine at the start of next school year. Officer Gater has loved coming back to Carroll and says he would like to stay here at Carroll for the next 10 years, or until he is ready to move up the ladder in the Sheriff’s department.
He plans to leave Carroll when his kids are old enough to enroll in Carroll because he doesn’t “want to be the parent that’s always looking over his kid’s every move.”
To finish things off, there’s been a question that’s been needing an answer.
It’s a question that can be placed on the same level as the question ‘What’s the purpose of life.’ Is Officer Gater an alligator? “No, I’m not an Alligator… I’m an Ohio Buckeye, through and through, and am definitely a human. Growing up, people said I should apply to the University of Florida… I probably should have applied and just said ‘read last name’ and they probably would’ve let me in.”
