Lacey will be new Monett schools SRO, veteran lawman returns to where his career started

Jason Lacey, a former Monett police officer, has returned to the ranks as a new school resource officer. He is the first SRO hired through the COPS grant program, and the first officer hired through that program since Jay Reyes was Monett police chief in the late 1990s. 

Lacy started his law enforcement career in Monett as a new officer in 1995. 

“In 1997 I went to work at the Mt. Vernon Police Department until the end of 2022,” he said. “I was retiring, then I got hired at Burlington Northern Railroad as a conductor. I thought it would be good money. But I found out, after all the testing, I get deathly car sick. My first trip to Kansas City did not end well. On the trip back, I decided the railroad was not for me.” 

Rather than leave the workforce, Lacey accepted an invitation from deputies with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department to join them in 2023. He worked there nearly four years, rising to the rank of detective. 

While serving with the Mt. Vernon police, Lacey taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) for 25 years. He earned a place on the state training team to prepare other officers to teach DARE. In that capacity, for about 10 years, he also trained DARE instructors in both North Dakota nd South Dakota how to talk to students. 

Lacey learned he was one of 150 DARE mentors in Missouri, and among only 19 who taught in more than one state, a rather elite group. 

“I found teaching cops how to teach kids very enjoyable,” Lacey said. “Teaching DARE as long as I did, I met a sixth grader one day who came up to me and said her mom had me in sixth grade as her DARE officer. I’ve taught two generations of kids.” 

Monett Middle School duty

Lacey thinks he will be assigned to Monett Middle School, and is looking forward to the job.

“When I get around kids, I’m automatically smiling,” he said. “They want a hug or a high five. They think you are the greatest thing. It’s a lot different than working the road. Kiddos are just kids, little sponges. They’re fun to teach, to talk to. They tell you fun, wild stories. I’m smiling just thinking about going back to school now.” 

Lacey lives in Marionville but has a high opinion of working in Monett.

“The staff here at the police department is just phenomenal, a great group of men and women,” he said. “I started my career here because it’s a great place. The town has changed since then. There are more streets now.

“This is my career goal, after 31 years,” he continued. “I always wanted to be an SRO. When I was assistant chief in Mt. Vernon, I told the chief I’d like the SRO job, and I was told I could be. It’s been a life goal, to be in the schools full-time.” 

At age 54, Lacey acknowledged he has “a few years left” to work. He expects to be involved in Monett’s DARE program to some extent. 

“DARE has evolved over time,” he noted. “Back when I started, you could not wear a firearm in schools, and there was a very strict curriculum. You pounded into kids’ heads you can’t smoke or drink. Now it’s evolved to making good decisions. We give you the facts and stress when you make good decisions, life will be easier.”

Lacey expected to start SRO school this month. He will be Monett’s fourth SRO, under Sgt. Shey Snodgrass and Corporal Dwayne Rice. 

“There will be a lot of different things in the year ahead. I’m looking forward to it,” he added.