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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Daily News is doing a series of features on some of the new and returning School Resource Officers (SRO) to let people get to know them as the new school year kicks off. Our first story features new Long Cane Elementary School SRO Michael Hockett.

Troup County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Hockett is a veteran in law enforcement having started with the sheriff’s department in 2013. In his 11 years of employment with the county, Hockett has served with TCSO and the Troup County Marshal’s Office. 

Hockett recently returned to TCSO after a two-year stint with the marshal’s office.

Hockett said when he returned to the sheriff’s office he saw an SRO job opening, so he applied and went to resource officer school. After finishing the training, he was assigned to Long Cane Elementary.

The assignment was especially appropriate, Hockett said, saying he went to Long Cane Elementary School himself as a child.

Hockett said he is looking forward to working in a learning environment.

“When I was on patrol, I trained a lot of recruits. I got to see a learning environment and I really enjoyed seeing people progress,” Hockett said, noting he jumped at the opportunity to come back to where he used to go to school and have a good impact on the new students.

Just one week in, Hockett said he was already connecting with the kids.

“I’m hoping just to humanize the badge with them a little bit. To show them I’m just like anybody else. That I’m here to support them and I want to see them do good,” Hockett said. We’re already high-fiving and fist-bumping. So I think it’s going to keep getting better from here.

Hockett said his role at the school is primarily safety and security, but he also wants to be a mentor to the kids.

For these kids to be able to come in here and learn and know that they’re in a safe environment to do so, is his primary goal, he said.

Hpckett one of the things that helps him make a positive impact on the kids is that he typically does not have to get involved with student discipline. 

“They’re very good with being able to speak to the kids and go ahead and correct behavior,” Hockett said. “That’s a blessing there that they can go ahead and handle that, without any kind of law enforcement interaction on that front.”

“Most of the time I’m doing walk-throughs, interacting with the kids in the hallways, just continually monitoring cameras, checking doors, and just anything that the principal might need to task me with,” Hockett said.

“Seeing the kids day to day, how they’re progressing and learning and just building that relationship with them, because eventually they are going to become adults. Hopefully, they’ll remember those good interactions that they have with deputies,” Hockett said.