UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Union County’s first statewide school resource officer of the year award recipient is back at work walking the halls of Weddington High School.

Deputy Christopher Byrum, a 17-year veteran of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, won the award this summer after being named Union County Public Schools’ school resource officer of the year.

In July, Byrum won the statewide C.C. McGee award at the North Carolina Association of School Resource Officers — a first for Union County.

“At that time, I didn’t know that I had won the award,” Byrum said when reflecting on the ceremony. “To even just be mentioned for that, it just blew my mind.”

Byrum has spent eight years at Weddington High School and is back for the 2022-2023 school year.

He said receiving the award was an honor, but said he thinks the reason he connects with people is that he keeps himself authentic. 

“Just being a genuine person, I think, is what has helped me. I treat everybody the way I want to be treated,” Byrum said.

Byrum added that, in his view, one of his colleagues should have been the county and state recipient.

Byrum was referencing deputy Christy Baucom, whom helped save a student’s life last school year.

Weddington’s principal, Jeff Kraftson, said students wrote nominating letters for Byrum and said the deputy won for his ability to connect with students and staff.

“I’m just so amazed with his heart for the kids. Again, we know all SROs, they have that. But one of the things with Deputy Byrum that I have seen here is how he develops those relationships with kids,” Kraftson said in his office at the high school.

Kraftson said all the sheriff’s offices school resource officers are top-notch, but Byrum goes even further.

“He’ll be down on the sidelines, not just monitoring at games or events that we have, but he’s the one jumping up and down, cheering, high-fiving the kids, doing all that,” Kraftson said.

Even now, Byrum gets invited to former students’ weddings, college graduations and other events, according to Kraftson.

But for the on-patrol deputy, the job is a blessing for him, too.

“I just absolutely love this job, it helps me continue on to be a better father to my kids, helps me to become a better officer, gives me more relation with the community I serve,” Byrum said while walking the halls one school morning in September.

Originally, the first time Byrum applied to be a school resource officer, he was not selected. But then, when a friend and fellow deputy was leaving Weddington High School, he recommended Byrum for the job and told Byrum to try again. The second attempt was successful, and Byrum started patrolling the high school.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but it was the best career decision I ever made in my life,” Byrum said.

While relationship building and a positive outlook are important for the job, it’s only half the responsibility. Byrum is also tasked with keeping a close eye on potential threats within the student body, and building and special event security, like football games and other gatherings.

“The important part of this is going through and checking classroom doors and making sure they’re shut and locked for security reasons,” Byrum said while walking the halls.

Typically, Byrum and Kraftson walk the school each day, checking classroom and exterior doors, as well as presenting a united front to the students and staff.

“Because the people that I work with around here; the students, the staff, the parents or whatever. If you don’t have a relationship with them, your job is going to be extremely difficult,” Byrum added.

At the beginning and end of each school day, Byrum sets himself in areas of high traffic, making sure he can keep an eye on students and making sure they see him as a consistent presence.

“Just lets the kids know that I am here, and I’m here for them. So that’s the reason that I stand here first thing in the morning,” Byrum said at the high school’s so called “Crossroads” corridor.

The Crossroads is where roughly 1,900 students meet after arriving by bus, car line or the student parking lot. Byrum said standing here lets him take the pulse of the school and its students, keying in on who’s potentially having a bad day, who needs help and who’s struggling to make a connection.

“It gives me the opportunity to kind of see a problem before it happens,” Byrum said.

He plans on continuing to work at Weddington for as long as the sheriff allows.

“If the good sheriff will let me stay here for another 10 years, I’m going to stay here for another 10 years,” Byrum said with a smile. “Honestly, I think this is the place for me. I think I was put here for a reason, not only by the sheriff, but from a higher power.”