From Left: City of Hollywood Chief of Police Jim Scarberry, Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne, SRO of the Year Officer Jackee Nester , School Board Chair Carole Andrews, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Till, and School Board Members Beverly Gallagher and Marty Rubinstein

Broward County Public Schools is pleased to announce that Officer Jackee Nester was named the School Resource Officer of the Year 2004. Officer Nester received the Charlie Bingham School Resource Officer of the Year award for her outstanding services with the Hollywood Police Department. She was given the award at the annual SRO of the Year Award breakfast held Wednesday, October 27th at the Signature Grand in Davie.

Shortly after joining the department, Officer Nester realized that the prevention of a crime was just as important as the enforcement of laws and the key to preventing crime and delinquency could be found in education. She set a goal for herself to become a member of the Department’s Youth Services Unit, which she achieved in March 1989. During the last 15 years of service, Officer Nester has worked at all three levels of education.

In 1991, the Hollywood Police Department began seeking applicants from its officers for a newly implemented program – Drug Awareness & Resistance Education – that focused on drug prevention in elementary schools. Officer Nester was one of the first officers selected to be a full-time D.A.R.E. officer. She began teaching the D.A.R.E. curriculum to fifth-graders in six of Hollywood’s 13 elementary schools. In 1995, Officer Nester organized a plan to include public and private schools located in Hollywood in this program. To date, she has presented this program to about 9,000 students.

In addition to her elementary classroom responsibilities, Officer Nester has attended the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Training Center on D.A.R.E. parenting and mentoring and has taught numerous parenting class based on the program. She is also active with the countywide D.A.R.E. program, serving as secretary of the D.A.R.E. Officers Association for the past five years.

In addition to her work in area schools, Officer Nester has received many departmental commendations and community involvement awards. In 1997, she won the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Kimberly Hurd Award for service above and beyond while working with youth prevention programs. She is currently assisting with the review, implementation and training for the GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) Program.

Whatever the task, Officer Nester can be counted on to give 100%. Through her efforts, dedication, and commitment the children of Hollywood will have a better future.

The other nominees for the School Resource Officer of the Year 2004 were:

Robert Katz - Coral Springs Officer Robert Katz is the SRO for the Coral Springs Charter School. Officer Katz is the chief advisor for the Coral Springs Police Explorer Program. Through his leadership, the Explorer Post has excelled in local and state competitions and volunteered throughout the community. The teenagers involved in the program have learned a great deal through their hard work and dedication toward community service.

Butch Santy – BSO Deputy Butch Santy has been the SRO at Deerfield Beach High School for the last 18 years. Deputy Santy not only handles the routine duties at this school of more than 2,600 students, but he is also responsible for after school security assignments, working nights and weekends to cover the school’s security needs. This responsibility accounts for a nearly 12-hour workday during the school year.

Wayne Taylor - As the Hallandale Adult Center SRO, Officer Wayne Taylor has a daunting mission: to create a positive rapport between at-risk students and law enforcement. This task could not be more challenging. Hallandale Adult’s alternative high school has a number of court-involved students, many of whom have already acquired arrest records and/or truancy pick-ups. Not surprisingly, a segment of the school’s population is not by nature or experience “law enforcement friendly.” However, in less than a year’s time, Officer Taylor has found a way to bridge the gap between these students and their community.