When students walk around the halls on their way to class, they often see Student Resource Officer David Anderson watching them go by. But rest assured, this strong, tattoo-armed man protects each and every one of Eagle High’s students every day. With 23 years under his belt, Anderson is a highly skilled SRO and continues to strive to keep undergraduates from harm and making poor decisions.
Before coming to Eagle High’s campus, Anderson had an extraordinary path into his career in law enforcement. He had originally wanted to be a fireman, and he had been a bartender before becoming a cop. As a bartender, Anderson often had police patrons and gym acquaintances who were cops. Many of them encouraged him to undergo police testing to get on patrol.
“I had a kid on the way, and I had to be an adult. … I thought, ‘what the heck,’ when they kept telling me, ‘go test, go test, go test’. I didn’t think I’d ever get it,” Anderson said. He applied to the Los Angeles Police Department, which is a notoriously difficult job to attain.
“It takes about 24 to 30 months to get hired with the LAPD,” Anderson said. “I tested in the middle of July, so it took me less than four months.” Not only is it incredibly reassuring to have someone with such skill working at Eagle High, but it also displays Anderson’s perseverance and talent.
One of his most impactful calls first came early on into his career. With no more than two or three months under his belt, he was called to report to the scene of a drive-by shooting. The suspect was also wanted for a homicide that occurred two weeks prior. Anderson recalled that they located the suspect in his vehicle behind an apartment building.
“Their plan was to have me, and because I was a new guy … it was kind of a big deal,” Anderson said. “So, the plan was a guy was going to walk up in front, and I was going to be a second one in the stack. He was going to use his baton and break the window, and then, I would proceed to reach in, grab him and pull him out.” Not only did they succeed in taking the suspect into custody, but he was also convicted of both the homicide and the drive-by shooting, all thanks to Anderson and his fellow officers.
In a trying time for police, Anderson claims that his role as an SRO has been his motivation to continue in his career.
“I absolutely love this assignment. I didn’t think I was going to, actually, and I almost didn’t take it,” Anderson said. “The thing about being a police officer out on the road is that every day you deal with somebody, it’s generally their worst day. And that’s every day for us the entire shift. But that’s not the case here.” SRO Anderson believes that although there are students here at Eagle High who may be having a tough day, it’s not nearly as emotionally taxing for an officer to see as it may be in comparison with one who is working patrol on the streets.
“But to be able to try to help them overcome that … or even [help out] kids who are experiencing high school for the first time [is extremely rewarding},” Anderson said. “I continue to watch them figure it out and go on to do great things.” It’s comforting to many students and staff to have someone on campus who not only knows how to do his job but also continues to strive every day to help Eagle High students in every way that he can. Yet, Anderson also knows when he needs to draw the line between helping a student and doing his job.
“There’s been times when I’m working with a kid who is kind of on the edge of making some poor decisions,” Anderson said. “And I’m trying to help them along the way, literally holding their hand. And yet they still make that horrible decision, and I just can’t help them anymore.” Anderson believes that this is the worst part of his job: deciphering when to be the nurturing help vs. the justice-seeking police. Unfortunately, that has happened from time to time within his career, and it will inevitably happen again.
While the job of being a police officer is very rewarding, students should be aware of the downfalls as well as the benefits when looking at going into law enforcement in the future.
“Don’t try to do it too early,” Anderson said. “Go live life a little bit, because [joining law enforcement] is going to change you. It’s going to change who you are as a person. Go on ride alongs and talk to cops before you jump headfirst into that career. Be sure.”
When students begin on a path for a future career, especially in something that is as emotionally and physically taxing as becoming a police officer, Anderson encourages that they take time to live and enjoy themselves. Anderson also expressed the importance of being completely positive that this career is the one they wish to take on. Being an officer like Anderson will change how a student will view the world, interact with people and overall change their life in a way that most wouldn’t even believe possible.
By keeping us safe, building relationships with the student body administration and watching students graduate and grow, Anderson displays an example of hard work that Eagle High can look up to.
