Lindbergh School Board Honors Sperreng School Resource Officer

The Lindbergh Board of Education approved a resolution at a recent meeting honoring one of its long-time school resource officers at Sperreng Middle School.

Mike Kaufman, an officer with the St. Louis County Police Department, had served as the Sperreng’s SRO for eight years. He was recently reassigned as a detective in the Auto Crime Unit at the department.

“I just hope the next time I see you isn’t because of my car,” Board President Kenneth Fey said to Kaufman laughing. “We know how hard you worked, and anytime I got a call about something I would always hear ‘Mike’s on top of it.’”

A school resource officer is a sworn law enforcement officer who is assigned to a school on a long-term basis to serve as police officer, teacher and counselor to students.

“I’m just speechless and very touched,” Kaufman said. “Lindbergh has become a family to me, and there wasn’t one kid at Sperreng I didn’t treat as my own. I’m really going to miss everybody.”

Kaufman’s list of accomplishments includes the creation of the Sperreng Navigators Club, which focuses on team-building exercises, character lessons and service projects. He was recognized for his work with the club in 2009 with a Promising Practices Award from the Character Education Partnership, a national foundation dedicated to helping schools develop people of good character.

Additionally, Kaufman received the 2009 Missouri School Resource Officer of the Year Award and was named a 2009 Lindbergh Leader for his leadership and service to the district and the community. His efforts also contributed to Sperreng being named the 2007-2008 Missouri “Do the Right Thing” school of the year.

 Jeff Kriska, another officer with the St. Louis County Police Department, has been named as Kaufman’s replacement. The Fenton resident has nine years experience with the department and has served as school resource officer at Parkway South High School.