Thiel is building bonds between law enforcement and students
by Karin L. Nauber
While the official job title for Todd County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tyler Thiel is School Resource Officer (SRO) at both the Bertha-Hewitt and Browerville school districts, Thiel feels that the biggest part of his job is building a bond with the students.
Thiel is very familiar with the Bertha-Hewitt School since he graduated from there in 2009. He currently serves as SRO there for 12 hours per week.
He is SRO at Browerville School for 20 hours per week.
Although those are the contracted hours, Thiel tries to spend more time at the schools when he can.
“Other deputies attend the night games and activities, too,” noted Thiel.
Both districts have had liaisons in the past for several years now.
The path to Thiel coming to enjoy his current position was a relatively short one. After he graduated from Bertha-Hewitt, he attended Central Lakes College and acquired a degree in criminal justice.
“I pursued a career in the field and in February 2012 I began working for the Todd County Sheriff’s Office at the jail,” he said.
A short time later, he began working as a patrol deputy at which time he also became the SRO for the Browerville School for a couple of years before switching to nights.
On days when there is no school or in the summer, Thiel does regular patrol duties which includes responding to emergencies countywide among other things. . . .