When School Resource Officer Brandon Noel patrols the halls of HSE, he is not just protecting the safety of our school, he is building connections. Officer Noel, who started his career as an SRO at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, comes to work every day with the goal of “helping students become the best versions of themselves.” Part of his job may be maintaining security measures and enforcing rules, but he prioritizes his role as an administrator to build meaningful bonds with the students he serves.
“I’m here to be someone students can trust,” Noel said. “I’m always willing to listen to legal questions or just life in general.”
Officer Noel had a unique path to becoming an SRO. His career began in Colorado, where he served as a state trooper. He completed over 1,000 hours of field training, greatly exceeding the 40-hour requirement to become a police officer. He then transferred to Indiana, where he completed another training course, this time with the National Association of School Resource Officers.
While the path to becoming an SRO varies, it typically starts with becoming a police officer. A high school diploma is required, and college education is often encouraged. But for Noel, one thing mattered most: experience.
“There’s no perfect formula for getting into law enforcement,” Noel said. “But shadowing and seeing what the job is really like? That’s huge. I wish I had done more of that early on. Officer Noel encourages all students who aspire to have a career in law enforcement to start preparing now.
“Come out and join a Cadet Program in Fishers or participate in a patrol car ride-along if you’re old enough,” Noel said. “Whatever you do, just make sure you are putting your best foot forward because reputation matters, even when you are just starting out.”
To Officer Noel, policing isn’t about control—it’s about community.
“If people didn’t police themselves, we wouldn’t even have jobs,” Noel said. “Our goal is to help young people develop into the people they want to be.”
National Police Appreciation Week is approaching quickly, so if you see Officer Noel in the halls during the week of May 11-17 (or any time!) make sure to thank him for all the hard work he does to keep our school a safe and welcoming learning environment.
