Johnny Harness

Administrative Lieutenant responsible for leading a supervisor and a team of background investigators responsible for recruitment and selection of all new school safety officers, school safety assistants and police Emergency Communications officers. Conduct recruiting at job fairs and basic law enforcement academies throughout the state of Florida. Oversee testing appointments and results to include privacy is maintained throughout the process. Work with community stakeholders to build relationships between the school police and community.

Command the School Investigations unit. This unit is responsible for investigating several hundred cases per year. Conduct case reviews and meet monthly with the state attorneys office to discuss ongoing cases and ways to improve communication. Engage, when necessary, with high profile cases and updating the chief on the status of these cases. Ensure the operational Lieutenants are updated on cases attached to their area of responsibility.

Assist with Emergency Preparedness for the district. Assisted with the roll out of the Centegix notification platform. Responsible for a team that conducts semi annual audits of the system. Ensure all schools have their annual Safe school plans submitted in a timely manner. Document training conducted for FortifyFl and district Emergency Procedures manual.

Commanding officer, since inception, for the School Police Honor Guard Team. Oversee bi-weekly training to ensure precision movements for ceremonial presentations. Communicate and train with surrounding Police Honor Guard agencies. I arrange and complete travel summaries for funerals, state and National Memorial services. Inspect uniforms and equipment to include ceremonial flags and shotguns.

Commanded operations for the West Divion of the districts school safety Officer program for 5 years. Ultimate responsibility for all aspects of police operations for approximately 70 district schools. During this period, I led 6 sergeants and approximately 60 School Safety Officers and School safety Assistants. Responsibilities included ensuring a safe learning environment for our students and staff. Field training of new officers, scheduling conflicts, working large scale sporting events to ensure the safety of our students, staff and fans attending. Met regularly with principals to ascertain ways to improve our police service. Met with community churches and stakeholders to discuss any concerns or recommendations they may have.

School Police Sergeant supervising the Northwest area of the school district. During my tenure as a sergeant, I worked relentlessly to provide professional services to the schools assigned and to the school police department.

• Motivated and trained squad members to become proficient with equipment and daily tasks.
• Supervised and coordinated daily operations of school safety officers of up to 11 officers.
• Supervised crowds at busy events to prevent injuries and property destruction.
• Developed and maintained positive relationships with community members.
• Conducted regular audits of department operations, ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures while identifying areas for improvement.
• Coordinated special event security details, working closely with organizers to ensure public safety during large gatherings.
• Strengthened inter-agency cooperation, fostering partnerships with Jacksonville sheriff's office for joint initiatives.
• Led development of comprehensive emergency response plan, ensuring preparedness for active shooter threats.
• Mentored junior officers, promoting culture of continuous learning and professional development within department.

As a School Safety Officer at A. Philip Randolph Academies, I took pride in ensuring a safe campus for my students and staff. While making strides to build relationships, I conducted the following:

• Elevated overall staff awareness of safety protocols by conducting regular workshops on topics such as crime prevention, substance abuse prevention, and cyberbullying.
• Communicated effectively with parents regarding their child''s safety concerns or incidents that occurred at school.
• Reduced incidents of violence through proactive intervention, conflict resolution, and de-escalation techniques.
• Improved student behavior by implementing a positive reinforcement system and providing guidance on appropriate conduct.
• Served as a liaison between the administration team and local police force during investigations involving criminal activity within the school premises.
• Conducted school security inspections.