You may have seen a new police officer walking through the halls of Gates or Scituate High School. Officer Riley Preissler is new to Scituate, but she is not new to being a School Resource Officer (SRO).
Preissler’s interest in police work was sparked when she was a high school student. Graduating from Marshfield High School in 2011, she took a class in street law. She then attended High Point University in High Point, North Carolina, earning her degree in criminal justice. Following her 2015 graduation from college, Preissler took her knowledge and skills to Nauset Middle and High School in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she began her first position as an SRO.
When Preissler saw the flyer posted for the new SRO position in Scituate, she quickly jumped on the opportunity. The interview process was conducted by Scituate Chief of Police Mark Thompson. Upon completion, Thompson selected the officer who best fit the job from the many who applied for the position. According to Scituate’s SRO Officer, Nicholas (Nick) Sharry, Preissler fit the criteria of an SRO Officer: “She is a high-energy person that likes interacting with the public and kids, so I think that’s a lot of what the Chief was looking for. Plus, she was previously a school resource officer down the Cape, so she has experience doing this job.”
When asked about what interested her most as an SRO, Priessler noted, “I like working with kids, so when the job became available in Scituate, I jumped on the opportunity since I did the same job previously.” Beyond keeping the students, teachers, and community safe, Preissler said her biggest goal is to build solid relationships with the students: “I am local (Marshfield), so if you guys see me in public, I want you guys to be able to remember me and come up to me. I don’t want you guys to be scared or avoid saying hi.”
Preissler mentioned that outside of work, her main interests are sports, specifically soccer, and noted that she has played her whole life. More recently, she has picked up pickleball. She also enjoys skiing and snowboarding at places like Sunday River and Loon Mountain.
When asked about her first week as SRO, Preissler said she was acclimating well and trying to create a routine by visiting all six schools every day. Being a new mother, she is also adjusting to a more hectic lifestyle. Preissler said she is excited to be in the schools, where she can connect with students while also doing the job she loves.