Hartselle resident is nation's top school resource officer

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Sergeant Greg Cain of Hartselle, the head of Decatur Police Department's School Resource Officer Unit, has been named a national award winner for his contributions in the field of school-based policing.
The 2005 Floyd Ledbetter National SRO Officer of the Year award will be presented to him at the annual convention of the National Association of School Resource Officers in Dallas, Tex. July 11. He is the first Alabamian to receive the award since it was established in 1998.
Cain learned he was this year's winner in a letter he received June 30 from Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Phil Bailey, a NASRO committee member.
"I was speechless when I found out about it," he said. "I knew I had been nominated but had no idea I'd be selected. It's a tremendous honor and one that would not have been possible without the great support our unit receives from the police department administration, school system and the community at large."
"We honored that our SRO unit is being recognized nationally and that Mr. Cain is going to receive such a prestigious individual award," said Phil Hastings, supervisor of school safety for Decatur schools.
"Mr. Cain has strong leadership ability, good vision and is a very caring person. When these three qualities are present in a person, a lot of good things are going to happen. We're lucky to have him employed in our police department working with students, parents and educators."
Cain, a native of Cullman, has been a Decatur police officer for 14 1/2 years and a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officer for 11 years. He is credited with creating and implementing the Alternate Choices Education System in 1987 and the School Resource Officer program in 2002.
Under his direction, Decatur's police-based school safety and security program has received state and national recognition. It has been singed out for recognition by the state attorney general's office for three years in a row, and its SRO program is one of five that will be recognized at the upcoming NASRO national convention.
Cain is also very active in church and community activities. He has served in the pastoral ministry for 21 years and is currently pastor of Promise Land Church in Hartselle, a position he has held for the past nine year. He was appointed to the Hartselle School Board in 2002 and is currently serving as its chairman.
He and his wife Cindy have two daughters, Grace, 12, and Hope, seven.