FRISCO, TX – Centennial High School is thrilled to welcome snowboarding and Mixed Martial Arts enthusiast Officer Chris Burke as its School Resource Officer (SRO) for the 2024-2025 school year. He has extensive experience in the law enforcement field, having been an officer for 22 years, and he is eager to begin this new chapter in his law enforcement career.
Officer Burke didn’t always know he wanted to be a police officer. He shared: “9/11 happened, it kind of rocked my world and changed everything… I ended up signing up for the police academy.”
Initially serving as a park ranger in Ohio, Burke never anticipated he would be serving as an SRO. He was introduced to the possibility after coming to Frisco, where he came across openings for the position.
The SRO position piqued Burke’s interest as he began to value different aspects of law enforcement. “I found that as I got older and after 20+ years in law enforcement that I preferred to protect people over going out and looking for the bad guy.”
The job of a School Resource Officer is one of many responsibilities. As a sworn member of law enforcement, SROs ensure the safety of a campus and maintain legal order. “Kids come to me with problems or issues that they have, and I have to explain the difference between school rules and the law. I don’t enforce school rules, I enforce the law, that’s what I’ve been sworn under,” Burke shared.
In addition to the typical responsibilities of a police officer, SROs are expected to interact with students on campus, fostering a secure and comfortable learning environment. This very interaction with students is what makes Officer Burke’s position so special. “Getting to know new people is what I really enjoy. A lot of the kids I say hi to in the halls have started to say hi back, and that’s the kind of thing that keeps me going.”
As Officer Burke embarks on this new journey in his law enforcement career, his dedication to the safety and well-being of our Titans will largely contribute to a secure and welcoming environment on campus. Be sure to wave and say hello to Officer Burke next time you run into him!
