The School Safety Officers (SSO) program was introduced by Berkeley County Schools in 2023 to enhance security across its campuses. While the district already works with local law enforcement to provide Student Resource Officers at high schools, officials recognized a need for dedicated personnel in all schools to assist during emergencies. Dean Olack, Director of School Safety for Berkeley County Schools, explained that staffing every school with police officers is not feasible due to limited resources.
“It would be my goal to have a safety officer or a police officer in every single school,” Olack said. “It’s just not possible and practical based on the amount of calls and the volume of calls that the panhandle covers and a limited amount of officers we have.”
To address this gap, the district began hiring its own safety officers, many of whom are retired law enforcement professionals. Robert Harvey, who serves as an SSO at Martinsburg South Middle School, learned about the position through a radio announcement and saw it as an opportunity to contribute positively to his community.
Since joining in August, Harvey has focused on building trust with students while maintaining security throughout the school day. He greets students each morning and conducts routine security checks around the building. Harvey emphasized that SSOs take a proactive approach by aiming to prevent incidents before they occur and guiding young students toward positive behaviors.
For Harvey, making a difference for both students and staff is especially meaningful. He said he values supporting educators and appreciates working within the school environment.
“Being able to provide positive contributions back to the community is probably one of the most rewarding,” Harvey said. “I’ve always felt like educators and teachers were very noble professions when I was growing up. I have a lot of respect for them and now being in that support role is really rewarding.”
Currently, there are nine SSOs serving six middle schools and three intermediate schools within Berkeley County Schools. Olack expressed hope that this initiative will expand so that eventually every school will have its own officer.
Berkeley County Schools operates 32 educational sites in West Virginia’s Martinsburg area and enrolls more than 19,000 students while employing over 3,400 staff members according to their official website. The district provides education from pre-kindergarten through high school with various pathways for student success and supports community engagement through events and resources available online.
