Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Deputy Ron Breuss pounds a beat in the halls and playgrounds of Saratoga schools after his appointment as schools resource officer. He works out of the sheriff's Westside Substation.

New SRO trades in patrol for cruising local campuses

By Michelle Alaimo

Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department Deputy Ron Breuss is giving up his patrol job to spend more time with students in Saratoga schools. Breuss has taken on the position of schools resource officer, replacing former resource officer Ted Atlas, who was promoted to sergeant in October and transferred to work in the county's jail.

Breuss, a father of two, said he is looking forward to working with students, in addition to learning from them.

"I think I can impact the kids in a positive way," Breuss said, adding that he wants to become a bridge between the sheriff's office and the schools. Breuss, who began his new position Dec. 2, said his goal is to have open communication between students and law enforcement.

"The true key word in my job title is 'resource,' and I want students to know that I am available to them," Breuss said. He stressed that there are no secrets in law enforcement, so if someone asks him a question, he will give them an honest answer. But, in return, he also expects the students to be honest with him.

Although Breuss has only been on the schools beat for a short time, he has already begun work on a new program. His idea is to have a school resource officer Web site, constructed by students in Saratoga High School's Web page design class. Since most of the community has access to the Internet, Breuss said a Web site would offer another way for students and residents to gain access to him and to other school resource officers. The project is still in the planning stages, but if everything works out, Breuss said he will tell the students what he would like to see on the Web site and then give the students free rein on the site's design.

Breuss added that he will continue to work on programs intitiated by Atlas, such as the youth court.

The deputy has been working long hours since he began his new position, familiarizing himself with all of the local schools. But he doesn't seem to mind.

"It's worth it," Breuss said. "If I'm doing my job right, I may impact one person, and that makes it worth it."

Lt. Cary Colla of the Sheriff Department's Westside Substation said Breuss was selected as the new resource officer in late November by a panel of two vice principals and a public commissioner. Colla said the three conducted interviews with five candidates. He added that he believed it was really important that those who would be working the most with Breuss conduct the interviews.

Colla said he was pleased with the panel's choice. "We feel [Breuss] is doing a very good job."

Breuss has an extensive history with the sheriff's department. He began in 1981 by working in the jails. He then spent 10 years on patrol and moved on to work in a variety of positions, including stints as a field training officer, with the warrant fugitive unit, in the courts and then back to patrol. Breuss is also a member of the underwater search unit, off-road enforcement unit and crowd-control unit.

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