Over the summer, it was quietly announced that each public school in Fauquier County would be rotating their respective school resource officers, or SROs. For Liberty High School, this ensued a bittersweet farewell to beloved longtime SRO, Deputy Christopher L. Meyer. Following the new transition, Meyer was transferred to Mary Walter Elementary School, which meant that the incumbent SRO there was to serve Liberty High School. While students, staff, and parents are all collectively disappointed to let go of Deputy Meyer, the Liberty community has also been very eager to welcome the new school resource officer, Deputy Corey Lillard, to Eagle Nation.

     For some members of the Liberty community, this may be a warm welcome, but for Deputy Lillard, it is instead an exciting return. Lillard not only has roots in Fauquier County but is a proud Liberty High School alum. He graduated from Liberty in 2009 and was a star athlete during his time as a student, playing safety for the Liberty Eagles football team. Although a star athlete, Lillard always knew that he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. 

     “I had a little bit of interaction with law enforcement when I was younger. I chose this path because I really wanted to make an impact within my community and give back to all the people that I’ve learned from,” said Lillard.

     Subsequently, Lillard has an impressively extensive background in law enforcement. Lillard worked with the state police Criminal Investigation Division as a special agent on the Gang and Narcotics Task Force. He was on the road as an officer for three years and then worked with the Fauquier County Jail for two years, until finally taking a position at Mary Walter as an SRO last year. In fact, last year was the first time Lillard had ever worked as an SRO but he was well received by students and staff at Mary Walter. Lillard has dabbled in many different aspects of law enforcement from being a field trainer to a breath operator. It could easily be argued that Lillard is more than qualified to be in the position he currently holds.

     While Liberty High School and surrounding schools adapt to the unanticipated changes in staff, it is crucial to understand the role that school resource officers play in protecting their communities and contributing to the overall safety and well-being of students and staff alike. It is true that a large part of the role of school resource officers entails fulfilling the role of law enforcement and acting as a form of security for schools. However, they also provide mentoring and counseling to students and participate in school events.

     “Yes, one of the biggest issues in Fauquier County Public Schools is certainly vaping and that can segue into other things like narcotics and gang activity. However, what we deal with is not always of criminal nature. A lot of the difficulties I deal with on a daily basis revolve around mental health,” said Lillard.

     As the nation is still recovering from the blows of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing numbers of people are facing economic hardship, the conversation around mental health is important, now more than ever. Yet, being the one to encounter and resolve issues regarding mental health takes its toll as well, especially when the help SROs are able to provide can only extend so far.

     “When you’re dealing with someone who’s going through a mental health crisis, it makes you feel a little hopeless. You’re very limited with what you can do and what the state can do,” said Lillard.

     At times, certain aspects of the job can seem debilitating, but Lillard remains steadfast in his mission and hopes that in spite of it all, he can be of service to the Liberty community in any way possible.

     “I want to be able to give back, and not only make a difference, but be the difference for someone,” said Lillard.

     While Lillard admits that he was initially a little apprehensive about how he would be received at Liberty, he is pleased to share that he had nothing to worry about.

      “I’ve had a very positive experience so far. I thought that when I came here I was going to be shunned out, but nobody’s been shunned,” laughs Lillard. “It’s actually been great. Coming from an elementary school to a high school has definitely been interesting. You revisit that high school mindset of popularity contests and cliques,” said Lillard.

     Lillard is also aware that in the same way that he was apprehensive about coming back to Liberty, many students are apprehensive towards law enforcement in general.

     “Being involved and talking with the kids definitely helps them see a different side of law enforcement. You have no clue what to expect with this job. You never know what you’ll be getting into at any given moment,” said Lillard.

     Recounting his experience working with the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, Lillard also shared the stark differences between rural Fauquier County and other jurisdictions such as Fairfax County and Prince William County.

     “You get a little bit of everything here in Fauquier County. It’s not like other jurisdictions where people are in specialty positions focusing on one specific thing. Here in Fauquier County, we do everything from traffic stops, field tests, and breath tests, to search warrants. We work the whole case and then after we’ll go back out and probably get another arrest for domestic assault. There’s so much to deal with in one night for one person,” shared Lillard.

     It is without a doubt that the work Deputy Lillard and his colleagues undertake is not for the faint of heart. However, for all students at Liberty interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement, there are various outlets to explore. Fauquier County offers ride-along programs and a cadet program (of which Lillard was previously a part of) where high schoolers can spend a couple of hours on a Tuesday night and participate in activities such as radar operating, lidar operating, and field sobriety testing, to name a few.

     “These programs are fantastic for anyone considering a future in law enforcement. They give you some of the required skills of a deputy here in Fauquier County so that if after you graduate you want to go into law enforcement, you’ve already got that skill set and you’re one step ahead. Once you get to the academy, they’ll hire you right out of it. You never know what you’ll get into, but at least you’ll be familiar with what it entails,” said Lillard.

     Many people will deeply miss Deputy Meyer and forever be grateful for his service to Liberty High School, but it is now time to hand over the honor to Deputy Lillard, who is optimistic about serving Liberty High School to the best of his ability for years to come.