For 24 years District Resource Officer Joe Reed has roamed the grounds of Columbia River High School. He can’t go far without pausing to shake a hand; catch up and check in; or remind the school’s more than 1,200 students to hit the brakes, think about their actions, get to class, be safe. His eyes flicker from one area to the next, always on alert for “the kids in the corner.” Reed knows the profile well.
The second-to-youngest in a large blended family, the Vancouver native grew up in what he calls a “Huck Finn world” with two working parents who moved often. Sometimes he missed as many as 90 days of school.
In wrestling he found both a much-needed routine and success, until his senior year at Hudson’s Bay High School. One week before the start of the wrestling season, he had an accident that sliced tendons and arteries in his hand and required surgery.
But the talented wrestler still made it to the state tournament for the second time in his high school career, placing fourth in his weight class. Later he also clinched fifth in Greco-Roman at a national tournament.
Though he was strong in math and science, his grades precluded the possibility of a college scholarship. In 1982, he graduated and left the Heights neighborhood. He spent four years in the military.
When he came back to Vancouver, his attention returned to wrestling. Reed began coaching at his alma mater. In subsequent years, he coached the Columbia River High School wrestling team, Columbia River Braves youth wrestling club and state and national teams. He’s also led an Olympic development camp and created coaching education programs.
Coaching proved to be a talent that led to a surprise opportunity: a security position at Fort Vancouver High School. Two years later, he transferred to Columbia River.
The job has changed dramatically over the past two decades, Reed says. In 1986, the security team served schools primarily by monitoring. They wore slacks, polo shirts and dress shoes.
Today’s security personnel, called DROs, focus on building positive relationships with their school communities.
“We deal with kids that have been through traumatic things and try to encourage them that the way to their success is through education,” said Reed, who in November 2009 received the district’s Employee Excellence Award.
DROs also complete training in de-escalation to protect students and staff and are uniformed presences at athletic and community events. Collaboration with the Vancouver Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and other county agencies has helped DROs take initiative and be problem-solvers.
For Reed, being proactive requires vigilance and working with the school’s teachers and counselors to identify existing or potential conflicts and coordinate a response. He tries to follow and impart a former coach’s advice—There’s only one rule: “Do the right thing.”
That dictum also extends to the Columbia River wrestling mats. When one of his wrestlers couldn’t afford to attend a summer wrestling program, Reed paid the fee out of his own pocket. Last January, he organized an exhibition match with Japanese grapplers touring the Pacific Northwest to expose local wrestlers to new cultures. Reed also has guided 27 district champions, 17 regional champions and six state champions over the past 14 years.
Such is the scope of his influence that it’s not uncommon for students to return to the school 10, 15 or even 20 years later to thank him. Most of River’s assistant wrestling coaches also are the product of Reed’s influence.
But to hear Reed describe the career he never anticipated, the greatest transformation has been for himself.
“All my struggles and burdens get left behind when I walk in here. I see so many other people with struggles and burdens. I have an opportunity to be there for them,” he said. “There’s something deep in your heart that happens when you have the opportunity to change lives and make a difference just because you care.”