School cops ready for a new year

Oconee County school children on Monday return to classroom buildings for the first time since March.  Most of them have opted for face-to-face instruction, while the rest will resume their studies virtually.  Because of COVID-19, this is a most anticipated start to a new year of academics and, with precautions against virus spread in place, the hope is that all will go well.  Preparing and pronounced ready for the year also are Oconee’s 17 resource officers.  Sixteen of them are employed by the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, including Corp. Michael Thompson.  He will be assigned to Seneca High School.  A few years ago, Thompson decided to transfer from a uniformed patrol officer to a school resource officer motivated, in part, by the 2016 shootings at the Townville Elementary School.  Thompson says, “The tragedy there in Townville kind of reminded me why I got into law enforcement and I felt like no kid should ever be in fear whether in regards to school or out of school but definitely in school.  They shouldn’t fear anything,” he says.