Jefferson County Sheriff Deputy Josh Buissereth considers himself very lucky.
As liaison between the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson County schools, it is Buissereth’s job to stop by each and every school in the county, to provide safety and security, and to get to know the students – a position he cherishes.
Buissereth is making his presence known, visiting with students in the parking lots, in the hallways and even in their classrooms. As he’s been more and more present, students have started to warm up to him, he said, giving him high-fives and talking with him about music, football and life in general.
He’s building a rapport, one he hopes stays in place for years to come, as the plan is for him to serve the county as a school resource officer in the fall, the first in the history of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
At this time the sheriff’s office is still short on deputies, so Buissereth remains on call while working at the schools. According to Jefferson County Undersheriff James Everett, this is a win-win, as it gives school administrators, teachers, students and parents an opportunity to get to know Buissereth and get comfortable with him before the position is formalized.
“This gives us a really good footing to be able to introduce the youth to law enforcement, and to humanize law enforcement,” Everett said. “They can realize that behind the badge is a person.”
Everett said he’s confident Buissereth will do exactly that, especially considering how much the eager deputy enjoys the job.
“[Buissereth] does so much more than the job requires already,” Everett said. “He’s out there playing with kids on the playground, popping in, saying ‘hi’ whenever he gets the chance.”
Buissereth said he has high expectations as he lays the foundation for the first school resource officer. He’s excited to continue to build relationships and will do his best to help students make better choices and learn the value of personal accountability.
“I want to hold the students accountable for attendance, for getting to class on time, for not skipping school,” Buissereth said. “By holding them accountable it can make them more responsible adults and better members of our county.”
The accountability portion is really a small fraction of what Buissereth does, Everett said. By just being there Buissereth is a resource and an asset. And on that’s mutually beneficial, as Everett said the Sheriff’s Office has received a lot of positive feedback about Buissereth’s presence in the schools.
“That’s how we gage and how we know the interaction is working,” Everett said. “The communities around the county have been letting us know how much [Buissereth] is appreciated, particularly thanks to feedback from students.”
Everett, a former school resource officer in Cut Bank, knows what the role entails and is thrilled to have Buissereth, as he believes the young deputy can make a strong impact on the youth of Jefferson County. That’s why Everett visited with each school to set up Buissereth as a liaison, and he’s glad the schools were receptive, as he can’t think of someone who comes by the position more naturally.
“You can see how much he cares,” Everett said. “He cares about community. He cares about the students in the schools. He cares about everybody.”
Buissereth said each day he walks into the school he is blown away by the students, the teachers and the administrators. It’s an honor, he said, to serve them all in this new capacity.
“Here in Jefferson County we have quality people,” Buissereth said. “We have good kids, good teachers and good administrators. I give them props. When I walk through the hallways I see the teachers putting out little fires every day.”
Buissereth said he has a lot of respect for all of those at the school, and it is his goal as school liaison officer – and eventually school resource officer – to develop and nurture a relationship of mutual respect.
“One of the big reasons why we have such a positive relationship with the students and kids and teachers is because they respect us,” he said. “All I’m doing right now is strengthening that respect.”
Buissereth said nurturing this relationship ultimately creates more options for students, especially when it comes to conflict.
“It leads to the students knowing they can come talk to me, and I can steer them in the right direction,” he said.
Everett also believes in this approach, adding that even one conversation can start a long-lasting ripple effect.
“When you interact with one kid, you’re not just interacting with him,” Everett said. “That kid is going to go home and talk to his parents. His parents are going to talk about it, and the grandparents will hear about it and, before you know it, one interaction can touch a lot of lives.”
That’s why it’s so encouraging to hear so many positive comments about the job Buissereth is doing, Everett said.
“Word of mouth is so powerful,” he said. “That goes a long way, and it places a lot of respect not just with [Buissereth] but with the whole Sheriff’s Office.”
And what makes it even better, Buissereth said, is that this is just the beginning.
