Manage Your Account
Growing up most of us had a special adult in our lives; that one person who took the time to listen, who treated us not as a kid but as a person. For the past twelve years—for many Allen High School students—that
person has been Officer Ricky Pollan.
As the school’s resource officer, Ricky’s job is to maintain safety on campus and provide education on such topics as bullying, gang resistance, drugs and alcohol. But he does much more than that. For the 5,000 plus
students at AHS, Officer Pollan puts a friendly face on law enforcement, for some serving the first positive contact they’ve had with a police officer.
Amazingly he knows nearly every student by name and takes the time to build rapport and trust with them. He can be seen most school days joking and laughing with students between classes. But as one tenth-grader was quick to point out, he knows when to get serious too. Because he takes the time to get to know them, students feel safe coming to him with potential problems, and he’s often able to head them off before they occur.
Years after they graduate and moved on, many Allen High students stay in contact with Ricky, sending him pictures of their kids and catching him up on their lives. For Officer Pollan himself it’s all about helping students and their families. “My goal is for students to feel good about doing the right thing, rather than being attracted to those making questionable decisions.” he said. “If I can’t help, I’m going to get somebody who can.”
Thank you, Officer Ricky Pollan, for investing in the lives of our young people. Who knows how many of them may follow in your footsteps, pursuing a career in law enforcement and “paying forward” the good deeds you’ve sown into them.
