Ever since he was young, Giovani Valmond knew he was destined to be a police officer: He wanted to follow in the footsteps of many of his inspiring family members.
The new School Resource Officer grew up in the Sharon school system before attending Dean College in Franklin, Mass. Valmond, 25, joined the Sharon Police Department in 2021 and became the SRO during the 2023-2024 school year. Bringing positivity and enthusiasm to the job, Valmond aspires to have the same influence on other children that his own SRO, Mike Hocking, had on him during his youth.
The SRO serves as the connection between the Sharon Police Department and Sharon Public Schools, a position that encompasses many different tasks. Valmond interacts with students in different ways every day. At the elementary schools, he reads books and participates in gym classes; at SMS and SHS, he greets students in the morning and even sits in on classes. Valmond said that “inspiring kids, seeing their faces, [and] getting letters from them” is his favorite part of the job. One child wrote to the officer in a letter, “Thank you for being our Sharon SRO! I really like how you care about society… You all are very nice, thoughtful, kind SRO[s] that I met in my school year of 2024.”
Valmond has also contributed to the community in larger ways; for instance, he started the Junior Police Academy Program, which runs for two days in the summer. At this program, students can go through a police academy training simulation. Participants get a police department tour, see the department’s different vehicles, and learn how to analyze forensic data. Valmond hopes to expand this program in the near future, making it a week long and getting more kids involved. He has also contributed to the Ride-Along Program, which is geared towards middle schoolers.
Another goal for Valmond is to get a comfort dog to accompany him wherever he goes throughout the day. Valmond believes that a dog would be a great addition to the school system: “I just imagine reading books to the kids with the dog right there at my feet.” In the meantime, Valmond hopes to continue educating students through auditorium-sized lectures about different laws, such as rules of the road and drug and alcohol regulations.
Valmond has been an excellent addition to the Sharon Public Schools, proven by his involvement, ambition, and drive to create a stronger, more unified community. He has demonstrated his abilities, his future plans, and, most importantly, his commitment to the very role that once inspired him to work with Sharon’s youth.
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New School Resource Officer on the job in Sharon Police Department
Meet the Sharon Police Department’s School Resource Officer – Giovani Valmond.