Deputy Kaylie Painter has been recognized around the community for her work with the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department.
This past month, Painter was awarded Reeltown High School Support Staff of the Year for her role as a school resource officer and was awarded Officer of the Year by the Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber.
Painter started in the sheriff’s department as a road deputy and moved to school resource officer at Reeltown after the position became available. Today, she is in her third school year at Reeltown. But caring for others came naturally to Painter, which is part of the reason she joined law enforcement.
She has a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a concentration in juvenile delinquency and a minor in sociology. Then she later went to the police academy to finish up her training. Painter said her number one job is to keep both the high school and the elementary school safe.
However, she also teaches D.A.R.E. for sixth graders and works to build relationships with those in the schools.
“We wear a lot of different hats of informal counselor, mentor and that’s kind of bridging the gap between society, the public and law enforcement,” Painter said. ‘You have to remind yourself, ‘You aren’t just that cop today.’ You have to teach today. You have to be a counselor today or you have to just sit down and be their friend. But top priority is safety.”
The more challenging part of the job is that not a lot of people understand what kids go through. There’s a lot that can happen in a kid's life outside of school and it’s important for SROs to be a resource. And it’s also the kids that bring joy to the job.
“You walk through the hall of the elementary and they just look at you or give you a high five or a fist bump,” Painter said. “I coach the JV softball team. I feel like they don’t look at me just as a police officer. They know I’m a safe place.”
Despite the work Painter does at both of the schools, she never expected being support staff of the year. Painter was in a softball meeting when her principal Audrey Stockdale texted her about coming to the front office. That's when they announced she won Support Staff of the Year.
“I always say she is the peanut butter to my jelly,” Stockdale said of Painter during the January board meeting. “She always keeps us safe, but anything we need, she’s right there.”
Painter said she is very appreciative of the award and all of it has been so rewarding at Reeltown schools.
“It really does feel like home,” Painter said. “And I hope the kids feel that way, but I think we all do.”
Painter was also Officer of the Year for the chamber, and she said she was also very grateful to the chamber as well.
“It’s really nice to get that feedback from the community saying, ‘We appreciate what you do,’” Painter said. “And I’m not the only one who does this.”
She added everyone at the sheriff’s department is a team and works hard to keep the community safe. This is their job and they love doing it.
