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Residents urge council to retain community resource officer, citing mentorship and prevention
Summary
During public comment the same evening, multiple residents urged the City of Muskogee to keep a community resource officer position—testifying that the officer serves as a city‑wide mentor and prevents problems before they reach schools.
Several residents used the public‑comment period on May 12, 2025, to urge the City of Muskogee to retain a community resource officer who serves across the city rather than moving that officer into a single school assignment.
Lynette Gunn, a Ward 1 resident and retired VA behavioral health nurse, said a resource officer serves as a community bridge that helps students, parents and school staff access social services and health care and can prevent property damage, injuries and overdoses. Gunn said she reviewed the National Association of School Resource Officers’ materials on certification and believes certified officers provide valuable prevention and referral services.
Laurie Thompson, another resident, described the work of Officer Ron Mayes as city‑wide and mentorship‑focused. Thompson said Mayes attends sports and community events across Muskogee and that his presence “prevents issues before they even reach the school doors.” Thompson told the council, “Eliminating his role doesn’t increase safety. It weakens it,” and recounted examples of the officer’s community presence and influence on young people.
A separate commenter raised concerns about fluoride in the water and asked the council to consider stopping water fluoridation; that comment was a public‑comment item rather than an agenda item and did not lead to council action that evening.
Council minutes show these comments were part of the public‑comment segment; no formal council action on resource officers was recorded at the meeting.
