Several teenagers spent the day being chaperoned by the Port Orchard Police Department recently, but it wasn’t for mistakes they had made. They were being singled out for good choices.
POPD Officer Trey Holden — recently promoted to sergeant — serves as School resource Officer for the South Kitsap School District, and realized that nearly of all of his time was spent reacting to bad behavior instead of rewarding good behavior.
“I don’t get very much quality time with the kids that respect themselves and each other,
are compassionate and courteous, and (have) the qualities of a good student and citizen,” Holden wrote in explaining his idea for rewarding students that might otherwise “be overlooked” to administrators at Cedar Heights Junior High School, one of the schools Holden works with.
To find students that were “trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring and good citizens,” Holden asked school officials for nominations. He was given seven names, and all of the students were honored recently as “Model Citizens.”
The students — Michael Brothers, Dominic Boddie, Zachery Marshall, Jessica Peterson, Corrine Merrell, Jenae Irwin, and Logan Knowles — were picked up at their school by Holden and given a guided tour of the POPD before being recognized by Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola and given certificates.
The students also rode on the POPD’s police boat, then were treated to lunch with POPD Chief Al Townsend at Amy’s on the Bay.
Amy Igloi Matsuno, general manager and co-owner of the restaurant, said she strives to become a role model for both her employees and young people in the community as a whole, and she welcomed the chance to recognize thoughtful students.
“I like to do whatever I can to encourage people to make the right decisions,” Matsuno said, explaining that she remembers a time in her life where she could easily have taken a bad turn, but instead chose a path that brought her more fulfillment. “I want to be a good role model, and we would like to be anchors for the community.”
Holden said he hopes to honor more students in June.
