School Resource Officer Of The Year

On July 10, 2017, the North Carolina Association of School Resource Officers (NCASRO) awarded SRO Deputy Wes Anders the C.C. McGee School Resource Officer of the Year Award. The award is given for a SRO's outstanding contributions to their school, law enforcement agency, and community. Deputy Anders is assigned to Valley Springs Middle School, and has been employed with the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office since 2012.  Deputy Anders was nominated, and received, the C.C. McGee School Resource Officer of the Year Award for his work with a Valley Springs Middle School student.  The student was diagnosed with leukemia, and Deputy Anders was an instrumental part in collecting funds for the student’s family; to date, Deputy Anders has helped to raise over $6,000.00 to assist this student and his family. The student is currently in the hospital waiting on a bone marrow transplant, and Wes continues to keep in contact with him.

In addition to his duties as a SRO, Deputy Anders coaches the Valley Springs Boys' basketball team.  The team won the French Broad tournament this past February.  Deputy Anders was also recently awarded Officer of the Year for the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office in June.

"Wes has an amazing gift of connecting with young people, and developing sincere relationships with them," Sheriff Van Duncan stated.  "All of us here at the Sheriff's Office are incredibly proud of Wes' achievements, and the work he does with kids on daily basis."

NCASRO is a non-profit organization that helps put the needed tools in the hands of today's SROs. SROs work to reduce school violence by enforcing violations of the law occurring on school property, by informing students of the dangers of substance abuse, by introducing programs that will promote and enhance acceptable social behavior, and by serving as positive role models.  Information on NCASRO and the C.C. McGee School Resource Officer of the Year Award can be found at http://www.ncasro.com .