Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Deputy Jared Walter loves his job. Jared is the School Resource Officer (SRO) for Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS). A career in law enforcement was not always his plan, but Jared cannot think of anything else he would rather do.

Born and raised in Elizabeth, Jared and his family still live in Elbert County. His wife, Amanda, also grew up in Elizabeth. Amazingly, in a town of around 1,000 residents, they did not know each other when they were younger. The pair met playing co-ed softball…in Elizabeth.

Jared initially wanted to be a professional firefighter. He studied ecology, conservation and fire science in college and for 13 years was a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Franktown. He also worked as a manager at the King Soopers in Castle Pines for 15 years before starting at DCSO.

At a social gathering with friends, then DCSO Sheriff Tony Spurlock asked Jared if he had any interest in law enforcement. By the end of the conversation, Spurlock said someone from his office would give Jared a call. DCSO called the next day and Jared has been with the sheriff’s office for the past nine years.

Starting in detentions for a year, Jared went through the police academy, then was assigned to patrol. From there he moved into an SRO position. With five SRO years under his belt, Jared has found his niche at RHMS.

Jared gets to interact with students on a daily basis. “I love getting to know the students, playing sports, reading books, teaching classes – just interacting with students,” he said. Jared works hard to know all the kids, which is a large task with more than 1,200 students enrolled at RHMS. Jared’s goal is to “make a positive impact on the students,” collectively and individually and to “debunk some of the social media portrayals of cops.”

The adults Jared works with are an asset for his SRO position. “It is a great team of school administrators and teachers at RHMS. There has been no administrative turnover in the years I have been here, so it is easy to work together. We know where we all stand on issues that might come up and we stand together,” Jared said of the partnership he has developed between DCSO and RHMS.

Throughout his tenure at DCSO, Jared has participated in the peer support team, been a field training officer and an arrest control tactics instructor. Additionally, he has been on the wildland fire team for the past eight years, something still close to his heart.

The wildland fire team blends nicely into his summer role on patrol in rural western Douglas County. “In the summer, we keep all our fire gear in our patrol cars, so we always have it ready to go when there is a wildland fire,” Jared said.

Giving back to the community he loves is a large part of Jared’s life. He coaches little league football, baseball and basketball with the Elbert County Wranglers. A student athlete, Jared played basketball and baseball and continues to stay active in sports, one of his passions. Jared and Amanda participate together in tough mudder races a few times a year.

Other hobbies include hiking, camping and hunting, as well as spending time with his family. Jared and Amanda have four active sons, ranging from college to elementary school age.

 

By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Jared Walter