'I just want them to have good days'
SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day is on Saturday, February 15 and to mark the occasion we're highlighting a local School Resource Officer (SRO) who goes above and beyond.
You don't have to be very far from the cafeteria at Sullivan Elementary School to hear the chatter and laughter filling the room. One of the voices is that of School Resource Officer Carl Melchert more affectionately known as 'Cop Carl.'
'How's lunch,' Melchert said to a group of students.
How's lunch seems like such a simple question, but for Cop Carl it's just the start of several impacting conversations with the students.
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When Cop Carl walks the halls of Sullivan Elementary School, His infectious smile and his genuine care for each student is proof that he's not just there to enforce the rules.
'We think safety first, keeping the bad out,' Megan Raley, a Sullivan Elementary parent said. 'But it's being good within the walls too,' she added.
Carl's approach is simple but powerful. He treats every student, 'Like they're superstars,' he said.
He spends each day making sure to show the kids that they matter.
'I just want them to have good days,' Carl said. 'Because I don't know if they had good days outside of school.'
For parents like Megan Raley, Cop Carl was there for her children personally after losing their father to cancer.
At that time, her second-grade son struggled with returning to school. School drop-offs became difficult. During those dark days, it was Cop Carl who stepped in.
'He would come out to the parking lots with us and wait until it had settled down and walk him into the building,' Raley said. 'He would stay with him during school, eat lunch with him, make sure he was checked in on during the day, and had somebody there if he needed it.'
That meant the world to the struggling mother and child.
You want the best for your child, and as a parent, you know that you're their first choice at all times, so knowing there is somebody else there that they can depend on and go to that will be there for them and care for them as much as you do, really means a lot and you know they're in good hands,' Raley said.
In the months following, Officer Carl found himself relying on that same support of others.
'They (the school community) came together as soon as we found out Angie had ovarian cancer. The kids made cards,' Carl said. 'Without the support, it would've been a lot harder,' he added
Carl's wife, Angie lost her battle, and in that moment, Carl said he learned what truly matters in life.
'It's people that matter,' he said. 'And for kids, their feelings matter.'
Through the hardship, Cop Carl turned to God to continue making his students feel important.
'I ask him every day to help me to impact somebody and to help me have the right words,' Carl said. 'Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.'
You can ask any child at Sullivan Elementary, and you'll learn that the feeling is mutual.
'He's very talented,' Levi Lovelady, a fifth-grade student said. 'He teaches us a lot of stuff and he protects the school.'
'When you're feeling down, he'll ask 'What's wrong kiddo?' And you'll say it's nothing and he'll put a smile on your face,' 5th grade student Alexa Gibbs said.
'He's a good person, and you have someone to talk to and you have someone who can teach you how to solve something,' 5th grader Cooper Miller said.
From solving life's problems to solving a Rubik's Cube, Cop Carl meets students where they are with care and compassion to help them reach their full potential.
I could never in a million years thank him enough for what he did,' Raley said.
Officer Carl goes beyond the badge every day as an SRO. He also serves as the middle school girls' and boys' golf coach, the varsity boys' golf coach, and a substitute bus driver, but more than anything a friend.
'I'm a very blessed person and I don't ever want to take that for granted.'
Officer Carl's commitment to his students and community is a reminder of the positive influence an SRO can have. As we celebrate National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, let's take a moment to thank all the men and women for their dedication as SROs.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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