Thank you, Officer: OBMS holds 'clap out' for Ormond Beach Police Officer Greg Stokes

A police officer for 23 years, Stokes has been the school resource officer at OBMS since January 2017.

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For the past six years, Ormond Beach Police Officer Greg Stokes has been a steadfast presence at Ormond Beach Middle School.

As the school’s resource officer — OBPD’s first assigned to that role — he’s set the bar high for those who will follow, said Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey. And on Thursday, June 2, OBMS students, teachers and faculty honored Stokes by organizing a surprise “clap out” to bid him farewell in the school’s quad, an idea brought forward by OBMS Principal Heather Iannarelli.

It’s a moment Stokes said he will always remember, especially because of the effort it took to organize the surprise.

“Just seeing all the kids [who] think enough of you where they’re clapping and they don’t want you to leave, it was uplifting,” Stokes said.

A police officer for 23 years, Stokes has been the school resource officer at OBMS since January 2017. Before that, the position was filled by a Volusia County deputy who  rotated between OBMS and the Holly Hill School. Godfrey said that in 2016, OBPD applied for a grant to fund three school resource officers positions. He received grant funds for one.

“When I became chief, it was always abundantly clear to me that we needed our own person in that school,” Godfrey said. “Number one, to build the trusting relationships that we’ve already built through our DARE program up to fifth grade, but I thought it would be a great idea to continue that in the sixth, seventh grade with an Ormond Beach Police officer — to be the eyes and ears on the ground, to connect with the community and to build trusting relationships with students, staff, faculty and parents.”

Stokes was then chosen for OBMS. He had a background in community outreach, having first started as a Leisure Services employee with the city of Ormond Beach and a volunteer at the South Ormond Neighborhood Center, coaching and mentoring local youth. Stokes is also involved with the Ormond Beach Police Athletic League.

“He does a lot in the community that probably a lot of people take for granted or don’t even know, unless you know Greg,” Godfrey said. “It was a blessing to have him down [at OBMS.]”

But, it’s time for someone else to serve as the school resource officer, Godfrey said. Come next school year, OBMS will meet its new school resource officer: Marc Pedevillano, who has been with OBPD since 2021 and previously worked with the New York Police Department.

Making law enforcement approachable

Stokes said he loved working with the kids the best. It created an opportunity to be able to help students, he said, especially those who may be dealing with difficulties at home or at school.

School resource officers help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community, Stokes said.

“It makes law enforcement more approachable,” he said. “It gives a different perspective, not only to the kids, but to the staff about the rules and duties of an officer — that we’re not standoffish. We will get into the thick of things and roll our sleeves up and help out, even if it’s not law enforcement related.”

Stokes takes great pride in his work, Godfrey said. He described Stokes as a man with great work ethic, integrity, compassion and ability to treat people with respect, making him a great fit for a school resource officer.

It's kind of hard for me to believe that someone would do something like that for me. When they say, 'You've done so much for us,' when I don't look at it like that. I can't describe it; you do it because it's who you are — it's part of your character." — GREG STOKES, Ormond Beach Police Officer

Every police department should have a school resource officer, Godfrey added, and he’d love it if he were able to place one at every Ormond school.

“To me, it’s a win-win,” Godfrey said. “I can tell you this: As a police chief, this is one of my victories that I will take with me, that I will claim, that I was allowed to do, because I thought it was a great move and I got lucky and got it approved. So, I’m appreciative of the council back in the day that approved it, because they supported me on this endeavor.”

A smart decision

Stokes never thought he’d be a police officer. When he was first approached by former Ormond Beach Police Chief Larry Mathieson, who wanted to sponsor his training, he turned him down. But Mathieson came back and convinced him. 

“It was one of the smartest decisions I made,” Stokes said.

He said the “clap out” last week rendered him speechless.

“It’s kind of hard for me to believe that someone would do something like that for me,” Stokes said. “When they say, ‘You’ve done so much for us,’ when I don’t look at it like that. I can’t describe it; you do it because it’s who you are — it’s part of your character.”

 

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