With the tragic and unfortunate loss of life at an elementary school in Connecticut late last year, parents across the country have a heightened sense of concern about the safety of their children. Without a doubt, school officials in many cities and states are increasing security patrols and/or the presence of law enforcement officers to ensure the safety of children
While Marines are at work everyday training to be ready to defend the country or support the nation's missions around the globe, Michelle E. Quick-Reyes is protecting their children at Marine Corps Base Quantico's Middle School and high school. Quick-Reyes moved to MCB Quantico in 2010 with her children and Sgt. Kimo Quick-Reyes her husband. She joined the Quantico police force in 2011 after earning her bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
When she learned that the school was searching for a resource officer she applied for the position. "She was very excited when she was selected to be the SRO,"her husband said. "To her, this is an opportunity to better serve the base and the community. She wants to give families a peace of mind knowing that she is always watching them, that way their parents can focus on their missions at work, not worry about the security of their children."
When Reyes was eight-years-old she watched a show about a female officer pursuing a guy who wanted to break into a gas station. "Ever since that episode, I just knew that protecting the innocent from harm was something I wanted to do in the future," she said.
She's more than a cop patrolling the hallways and looking into classrooms to make sure everything is okay. Quick-Reyes interacts with students to develop a relationship with them that leads to trust. Michael Johnson, school principal, said, "she really has a strong connection with them, enough that the children don't exercise any apprehension about bringing things to her attention."
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