Lanny Becker new man on campus at Troup ISD
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Lanny Becker is the new School Resource Officer at Troup ISD. He has been with the Troup Police Department a year. The SRO splits time between the school and the PD.

Who's the new man on campus? Actually he's on all the Troup campuses. That would be Officer Lanny Becker, School Resource Officer for Troup ISD.

Officer Becker came to the Troup police department a year ago. With a short commute from Tyler, he has big plans for the future of his position with the Troup PD and Troup ISD.

Becker's police training started 49 years ago in the United States Army as a part of the military police. He spent six years in the military and then moved to Oregon where he was a police officer.

Before long he heard the call of the wild from Alaska. A friend convinced him to set out on an adventure with him to the oil fields of Yukon country. Most of his 15 years in the land of Eskimos was productive so long and the oil production was fluid. When the oil business headed south, so did Becker.

He picked up his law enforcement career again with work in probation and pre-trial investigation with the Smith County Sheriff's department. While in probation, Becker worked with juvenile offenders. It was this work and his time on the Tyler Junior College PD that drew him to apply for the SRO position in Troup.

The SRO agreement was recently approved by both the Troup City Council and Troup ISD trustees. Officer Becker is still a Troup police officer, but his assignment is to be on the campuses of Troup ISD. He can be pulled back to the PD should an emergency situation arise. The school district bears the majority of the financial responsibility for the officer but the vast majority of his time is spent on the district's campuses.

Becker says this is a "honeymoon" period for everyone.

"They are getting to know me and I'm getting to know them. I've just sent an email to all the principals and teachers thanking them for their acceptance and help in getting things going."

While they may all just be getting acquainted, Becker is not waiting for anything. He has already solved some issues with missing property on a campus.

Also, within days of taking his post he had arranged with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to come to the high school auditorium to share their major video presentations with high school and elementary students concerning choices and consequences.

Officer Becker has already begun to recruit students to be a part of a Youth in Action team. Youth in Action is a communitybased program utilizing high school students as agents of change in the prevention of underage drinking. The Youth in Action group will be led by Officer Becker who will aid the teens in implementing the program's core projects. The Youth in Action projects focus on limiting youth access to alcohol by targeting social and retail access, and working with law enforcement to support the enforcement of underage drinking laws. By consistently doing projects and sustaining Youth in Action groups, this program can help create healthier and safer communities.

Becker's plans also include working closely with administrators and teachers to be on the look-out for students who might be at risk of harming themselves or others.

"Most of the time these kids just need some extra attention and need to know someone cares," Becker said. "I hope I can make a difference."

Troup ISD is a safe place to attend school and Officer Lanny Becker wants to see that it stays that way.

Welcome to the new man on campus.