French Braids and The Law
Story by Tessa Dufresne

A badge and gun are not the only necessities for a day’s work, french braids are also needed to complete the uniform. However, do not be fooled by the stereotype that female police officers are mistreated because of their gender; Officer Katherine Mielke is quick to deny such allegations.     “You know, there are times when female officers can bring a certain something different to a crime scene,” Mielke explained. She does note that on a few occasions she has come into contact with persons that have an underlying tone in their responses that makes it known that they believe law enforcement is a man’s job.

   “If there ever is disrespect, it just makes me more determined to prove myself.”

   Another way Mielke beats the blues after a tough day is by coming home to her husband, a deputy sheriff. The couple, who have been together for seventeen years, met during police training.

   “He knows what I go through and we are able to talk about our experiences.”

   Mielke, who may be more recognizable to Reynoldsburg’s school-age children than to adults, has been working in the school system for seventeen years. She began with a degree in education and after graduating, went on to work with medically and physically handicapped students. A friend of hers who was applying to the police academy persuaded Mielke to tag along and sign on, as well. Mielke then decided her career desire: educating students by helping them understand the law.

   Over the years, Mielke has worked towards this desire through various programs, such as D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. While involved, she educated young students about drug and alcohol misuses. Mielke stopped teaching with this organization in 2006 to allow other officers the opportunity.

   Currently, she is the School Resource Officer at Reynoldsburg High School. A School Resource Officer or SRO is “a law related counselor, law related educator as well as a law enforcement officer.” While school is not in session, Mielke works as a patrol officer in the community.

   Mielke says that she enjoys working with junior high and high school teenagers the most, which enticed her to pursue the job at Reynoldsburg High School. “I really love when adults I met as teenagers or kids come up to me and thank me and say that I’ve impacted their lives.” Mielke notes that it is one of the things she is most proud of after working in this field.

   Mielke is also proud of her work for the Special Olympics. Through the organization’s Polar Bear Plunge, she has raised more than $70,000 over eleven years for those who have intellectual disabilities. Yearly, Mielke plunges into Lake Erie at Geneva on the Lake State Park.

   Mielke was recognized by the Reynoldsburg Education Association as a “Friend of Education” in 2006 in reward for her endeavors to make Reynoldsburg and it’s schools a better place. She said it was such a great honor to be acknowledged for something that she already takes pleasure in doing.
 

Mielke strives to improve the district by keeping problems smoothed out as best she can. Mielke explains that the number one way to do this among students, or any age group, for that matter, is a perfect mixture of communication and listening. Her best defense is to talk calmly about a circumstance; however, if it escalates, Mielke does not switch to threats, instead she takes to advising and warning the person.

   “For example, I’ll say, ‘If you do not do this, then you might end up in trouble.’ The type of words I use really depends on the situation.”

   As a member of the police force, Mielke is required to take aquarterly training which includes defensive tactics training to help prepare with hands-on disputes. She believes that because of these programs, she would be able to de-escalate a problem. She does note that although she does have the proper training, any fight would depend on the opposing side’s size, stature, and skills.

   “There are times when hands-on helps,” Mielke says. But, if weapons come in to play, Mielke would switch her strategy. “Luckily, I have never been shot at.”

   Persuasive speech, listening ears and prepared hands are her most used tools, especially while at school. When asked about a most memorable incident while at Reynoldsburg High School, Mielke’s response was a five person fistfight. One might think that for a police officer, a fight would not be a most remarkable event. Instead, people expect crazy mishaps from teenagers. That is exactly what Mielke crusades against. She aims to decrease the violence and disruptions.

   “This year has been a good year so far [at Reynoldsburg High School],” says Mielke. She attributes the good behavior to the newly introduced staggered start and the reduction of study halls.

   Starting with the first day of the 2009-2010 school year, various grades in the high school report to class at different times. This staggered start was adopted to ease traffic congestion and increase safety in the parking lot and drop-off area before school. Ninth and tenth graders begin at 9 a.m. while eleventh and twelfth graders start their classes at 8 a.m.

   The majority of study halls were eliminated because of the district’s budget cuts. The schools did nothave enough teachers to monitor the students during this down time. Mielke explained that although this break period was first created to allow students time during their days to complete homework or projects, over the years it became abused. Study halls became the time when most disturbances were occurring.

   Mielke hopes that in the future study halls will be eliminated. Whether she is advocating for the abolishment of study halls, helping to break up fights, or educating youth about the law, Officer Katherine Mielke is a Jack, rather, Jill of all trades