A member of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Investigator David Schrepfer is a vital member of the Wildcat family as the Whitewater High school resource officer.
Schrepfer always felt a calling to serve. Asthma issues kept him from enlisting in the Marine Corps, so he looked for other outlets. He began as an education major but decided teaching wasn’t his path. He started his law enforcement career with the Dekalb County Police before moving down to Coweta County to work with the sheriff’s department, then the Newnan Police Department.
Being a school resource officer was never in the plans. When he joined the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office a little over a year ago, he took the SRO position with plans on it helping him get back to a detective position sooner. Once he got into the role, he fell in love with it.
“For the first time in 26 years, you actually get to see some positive stuff,” said Schrepfer. “You get to make a positive impact on some students’ lives.”
He gets to help change the way teenagers see law enforcement officers behind the badge. Officers are not just there in times of trouble, they are humans with hearts and a passion to help. If students just need someone to talk to, he’s there for them. Dozens of kids come to visit with him each day just to say hello.
“It’s so much more than that. We need to be a resource, not just a school security guard,” he said.
His day starts early. He arrives before 7 a.m. and gets some quiet time to get mentally ready. Students hang out in the cafeteria before class starts, so he takes some time to chat with them. After the bell, he makes rounds to ensure all doors into the building are locked. Throughout the day, he makes sure he’s seen during class changes, and he’s back in the cafeteria to help monitor lunch. He keeps on the move until the end of the school day when he helps out with the wrestling team.
No matter where he’s at, the badge never really comes off. Whether he’s at work, at church, or out in public, he’s always on alert.
“Wherever I’m at, I’m going to make sure that the innocent are safe,” he said. “If that wolf comes knocking on the door at the school, unless I’m dead, I’m not going to let anything happen to these kids. It’s not going to happen. Not on my watch.”
The responsibility weighs heavy, but the chance to leave his community in a better place makes it worthwhile, especially his work with kids. Now, even if that detective position he used to want came open, he would stay right where he’s at.
“You get into this job thinking that you’re going to change the world and you end up retiring out changed by the world.”
“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.
Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.
