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Lawrence E. Jones
Our school is named after Lawrence E. Jones who may be better known to generations of Rohnert Park residents as Officer Friendly. He worked for the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety for 28 years and for 18 of those years, he was the District's school resource officer and was affectionately known as Officer Friendly. In 2009, a long time friend said, "His love for the students and kids of this community was very large. He believed in kids." His commitment to the youth of Rohnert Park was evident not only through his school resource officer work but through his volunteer coaching for Rancho Cotate High School girls' basketball and softball teams as well as community sports teams for more than 20 years. In 2010, he was a member of the first class to be inducted into the Rancho Cotate Athletic Hall of Fame for his years of volunteer coaching.
During the course of his career, Officer Jones received many outstanding service awards. He was honored as Rohnert Park's Policeman of the Year, Rohnert Park's Citizen of the Year, California State Juvenile Officers' Association Outstanding Service award, and the J. Edgar Hoover gold medal award. However, most of his greatest rewards came from helping people. He created strong positive relationships with students and when they needed him, he was there. In 1998, his mother told the Press Democrat, "Lawrence was always the one who came forth to listen and put his shoulder to what needed to be done. He always had a soft spot for the little ones who needed protection."
As a school DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program instructor, Officer Jones not only talked with students about drugs, violence, depression and sex but also about prejudice and racism. He was first African- American police officer in Rohnert Park. He shared with students his experiences from growing up in Hunter's Point in San Francisco to becoming a Rohnert Park Public Safety Officer. He told students about how at 21 years old, he decided to change his direction by returning to school. Officer Jones stated, "I wanted to make a positive impact on the black community." He made that positive impact -not only in the black community but in every community he ever joined.
Lawrence "Larry" Jones was a man of courage, commitment and compassion who believed in students and their abilities to take their place in our community as the next generation of adults to carry on his work and watch over and care for our children.
