Meet Your District 11 SRO's
Officer Vern Thomson
I am the School Resource Officer for Coronado High School. I am also a native of Colorado Springs and have been with the Colorado Springs Police Department since 2003. I have been an SRO since 2013. During my years with Colorado Springs Police Department, I have served in several different capacities. I started my career working Gold Hill midnights, which was probably the best shift I ever worked. I spent several years working midnights and enjoyed the relationships I built with fellow officers. In 2007 I changed paths and was requested to work with the Community Impact Response Team. (Commit). This was another great group of officers I worked with, and the team had great success in reducing violent crime, gang activity, and narcotics within the city.
In 2013 I joined the School Resource Officer Program. The first four (4) years I was at Rampart High School. In 2016 I was able to switch to Coronado High School. It was exciting to switch to Coronado because I am a 1991 graduate of Coronado High School. I enjoy working with young adults and helping them have a positive high school experience.
I enjoy spending time with my family, and I have a senior who attends Manitou Springs High School. I love traveling with my family and exploring different places. Our family has traveled to many destinations, and we enjoy cruising to most of them. I also enjoy spending time with friends, and you can find me on the golf course a lot of days during the summer.
Officer Thomson's schools
Officer David Tapia
Officer D. Tapia has been employed as a Colorado Springs Police Officer since 2014 and currently serves as the School Resource Officer for Mitchell High School. Officer Tapia became as SRO in 2017 at Harrison High School Officer Tapia has a combined 29 years of public service. Prior to his employment with Colorado Springs Police Department, Officer Tapia retired from the United States Air Force after 22 years of service.
Officer Tapia's schools
Officer Brad S. Krause
I have been with CSPD since 2012 and started in the Stetson Hills Patrol division. I moved to Sand Creek Patrol division and then was hired as a Detective, first with the Crimes Against Children Unit and then the Robbery Unit for a total of 5 years. I went back to Gold Hill Patrol division and the Sand Creek Patrol division before being selected to be the School Resource Officer at Palmer High School in February 2021. I enjoy working with the Training Academy and Community related events when not working in the schools.
In 1996 and after a very fun-filled College Freshman year in North Dakota, I joined the United States Air Force as a Security Forces Airman and was stationed at the United States Air Force Academy and retired in 2019 after 20+ years of service.
I enjoy spending time with my wife and child, working on my house, most outdoor activities and I am really beginning to hate the snow and cold weather in my old age.
Officer Krause's schools
Officer Christina Mattox
I have been in law enforcement for over nine years. I joined the Dallas Police Department September 2012 and left Dallas PD November 2018. I joined the Colorado Springs Police Department the end of November 2018. I have spent most of my law enforcement career in patrol and worked in multiple divisions across Dallas. While employed with Dallas PD I was involved with their training academy to involve; being a Redman (teaching recruits how to go hands on with a non-compliant party to the handcuffing position) and scenarios (Mental health calls, Domestic disturbances, etc). I have also worked with the Property Detectives in both departments totaling one year.
I joined the SRO unit in August 2021 working with Jenkins and Russell Middle School in District 11. I wanted to be a part of this unit because I can still remember the day’s police officers would come to my school and it had such a huge impact on my life. My goal is to give kids positive interactions with law enforcement, showing them we are not there to throw them into the system but to help them succeed in life. If I can change their perception of law enforcement by showing that I care about them even when they mess up, then I know I’m doing my job right. I have always had a passion to work with kids whether it be in law enforcement or coaching.
In my spare time I enjoy gaming (PS4), playing sports, travelling, and spending time with my family.
Officer Mattox's schools
Officer Emily McBride
Hello, I am Officer Emily McBride and I have been employed with CSPD since 2013. I first started as a civilian member of the department working as a Police Service Representative (PSR). As a PSR I worked with the officers to type reports and look up pertinent information regarding cases for officers.
In 2016 I became a police officer working in the patrol. I have worked as patrol officer in the Sand Creek, Stetson Hills, and Falcon divisions. I have been with the SRO Unit since 2022 working at Holmes and West Middle Schools.
Before working for CSPD, I graduated high school in Denver, CO and then graduated college from University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) with a BA in Criminal Justice with a Forensic Option. I enjoy the outdoors, camping, fishing, and reading.
Officer McBride's Schools
Officer Bryant Watts
I have been with Colorado Springs Police Department since July 2017. I have been apart of the SRO unit since September 2020. I was born and raised in Colorado Springs and attended Colorado Springs School District 11 schools as a student. I graduated from University of Colorado-Colorado Springs with a Bachelor’s degree in History. I also hold certificates as a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM/ISSA) with several specializations.
Prior to becoming a Police Officer I worked several different jobs including coaching football and baseball at the high school level. Due to my past experiences becoming an SRO was natural. I enjoy working with the students as a role model and giving back to a District/community that I was once apart of as a student and coach.
Officer Watt's schools
Officer Benjamin Hamelin
I have been a police officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) for 7 years. I wanted to be become a police officer to give back to the community. I wanted to become and School Resource Officer (SRO) because I had a background in education and wanted to combine his experiences as a teacher and a police officer because I have a passion to help juveniles. I also want to be a role model and mentor to the youth. I enjoy playing video games, frisbee golf, watching sports, and hanging out with my family.
Officer Hamelin's schools
Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy
Officer Sean Reed
I am Officer Sean Reed. I am a native of Colorado Springs and graduated from Liberty High School in 2006. I have been employed with the CSPD since 2015. During my time at CSPD, I have worked as a patrol officer in the Sand Creek, Stetson Hills, Falcon, and Gold Hill divisions. Most recently, and prior to joining the SRO Unit, I worked on one of the CSPD’s four Community Response Teams (CRT), which is a specialized unit serving the community members who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
I have also served 12 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and commissioned as a logistics officer. Currently, I am a captain and assigned as a battalion’s logistics officer and attend battle assembly in Salt Lake City, Utah.
My intent on joining the SRO unit was to provide children constructive interactions with law enforcement, change their perceptions, and provide a positive trajectory in their lives.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife, three children, and our dog, Bailey. I also enjoy playing volleyball and soccer with my children, working on my house, and spending time outdoors.
Officer Reed's schools
Galileo School of Math and Science
Officer Kelsey Willis (D11 Rover)
I was born and raised in South Africa. My family first moved to Georgia and then later to Colorado Springs when I was in the 6th grade. I went through the D12 schooling system where Officer Walsh was my SRO at Cheyenne Mountain High School. I didn't know at the time that one day he would be my coworker.
My passion for police work did not start until my freshman year of college at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a freshman, I had an incredible experience with a campus police officer and realized that I wanted to be a part of the academic realm as a police officer. I graduated in 2014 with a degree in Equine Science and moved back home to Colorado Springs to pursue my dream.
I started my career with the Colorado Springs Police Department as an Emergency Response Technician, answering 911 and non-emergent calls in the Communications Center. Just over a year later, I became a sworn police officer in 2018. I spent 4 years working out of the Gold Hill Division and 2 years at the Stetson Hills Division. I was a member of the Downtown Area Response Team (DART) for 2 of my years at Gold Hill.
I am a current member of the CSPD Honor Guard Drill Team and the Cadet Program. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time on my ranch where I live with my husband. We own horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, birds, dogs and cats.
Officer Justin Thinger
I am Officer Justin Thinger, and I have been with the Colorado Springs Police Department since 2017. I was a patrol officer for 4 years in the Sand Creek Division, and later was selected to be a detective with the Crimes Against Children Unit, where I spent 3 years. From there, I was chosen to be a School Resource Officer.
Before becoming a police officer, I lived in the suburbs of Chicago my entire life. Sports have been a large part of my life, and I'm a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks.
My SRO from High School is a large part of why I wanted to work in this position. He took me under his wing and showed me how important police work is, and how much an SRO can positively impact a community.
Officer Thing's schools
Officer Isaiah Wright
I am Officer Isaiah Wright and I have been employed with CSPD since 2012. I first started as a police officer working in patrol in the Falcon and Gold Hill Divisions. I joined the SRO unit in 2015 and left in 2022. I joined the Crimes Against Children Unit and came back to the SRO unit in 2024 where I am assigned to Wasson Campus and Tesla High School.
Before working for CSPD, I graduated from Pikes Peak State College with an Associate's Degree in criminal justice. I enjoy the outdoors, camping, hunting, fishing, and time with family and friends.
Officer Wright's School
Tesla High School