From patrolling the halls to being a beacon of safety and support, Officer Aaron Colley embodies dedication and skill every day. Despite living a thousand lives, his relentless pursuit of a dream leads him to this pivotal role.
After facing the harrowing realities of deployment in Afghanistan, Officer Colley discovered a newfound purpose: to make a difference in education. He moved to the Bristol region, starting with a job climbing telephone poles, before finding his true calling in law enforcement.
“By being an SRO, I get to do my job as a law enforcement officer and have opportunities to be a mentor, and in some aspects, an educator,” said Colley.
The road to becoming an SRO officer begins with completing the necessary police academy training and mastering skills in law enforcement, community relations, and crisis management. Moving on to work as a patrol officer, he gained invaluable experience and was able to hone his ability to respond to emergencies and interact with the community.
With unwavering determination, Colley entered the competitive contest to become an SRO officer. Eventually, he took the test and emerged victorious, his dream to become an educator realized and fulfilled, no matter how it was deferred.
“I wanted to be an educator earlier in my life and when this opportunity arose I was quick to test for the position,” said Colley.
Officer Colley has proven that he deserves this coveted position by treating it with the honor and fragility it warrants. He believes that every child deserves to be heard and treated with respect.
“I speak to every student who comes into my office, or the principal’s office, how I would want anyone to talk to one of my children—regardless of their position,” said Colley. “It doesn’t always work, but those students will often come back and we will have a good conversation.”