Braun appoints 20-year police veteran to lead Indiana's new Office of School Safety

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana's governor has announced the state's first director of school safety.

Julie Smith will assume the role after retiring as a sergeant from a 20-year career with the Columbus Police Department, Gov. Mike Braun announced Tuesday.

"We've come a long way on school security," Braun said during a ceremony Tuesday morning, Fox59 News reported. "What that sweet spot, best practices will be, that'll be her job to find out, and then what we learn from it we'll take to the legislature."

In 2014, Smith was one of the first full-time school resource officers with the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.

She is currently the president of Indiana's SRO Association and the regional director for the national association.

"School safety isn't just a career for me, it's a passion, and it's something that I hold dear to my heart," Smith said. "Every child deserves a safe and secure environment to learn and develop."

She will lead the state's new Office of School Safety, something Braun talked about on the campaign trail.

"Providing a safe and secure environment for Hoosier students to learn and grow is a top priority for me both as governor and as a father and grandfather," the governor said in a news release. "Our Office of School Safety puts that priority into action."

The responsibilities of the office include safety trainings, certifications and emergency response plans.

Aside from those duties, Smith said the first step in making a difference is listening—something she said she plans to do in classrooms and communities across the Hoosier state.

"I've dedicated my career to keeping students safe, and it's an honor to put my experience to work strengthening Indiana schools and communities as the director of the Office of School Safety," Smith said in a news release.

The goal of the Office of School Safety is to bring all school safety efforts in Indiana into one team that will give districts the tools they need to keep everyone safe.

To learn more about school safety initiatives in Indiana, click here.

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