A Monroe police officer pulled over a 12-year-old boy who was driving his family’s SUV to school on Wednesday, after the officer spotted suspicious behavior and what appeared to be a fake license plate, according to WBTV. Police said the boy told officers he had missed the school bus and decided to drive himself. A school resource officer then stepped in and escorted the child to class without incident.
Officials said the stop happened around 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 after the officer noticed what the department called “suspicious behavior” and realized the vehicle carried a fictitious tag, WBTV reported. Once officers confirmed the driver was 12 years old, they secured the SUV while they worked to sort things out.
WCCB published the Monroe Police Department’s news release, which said the student’s assigned school resource officer responded to the scene and transported the boy to school. The department also made a referral to the Department of Social Services for follow-up. Police did not release the child’s name and did not say whether any criminal charges would be filed, according to the release and local TV coverage.
How the city handled it this morning
Local outlets reported that no one was injured and that officers left the SUV secured while they coordinated with school staff and the family. As WSOC noted, the school resource officer’s quick response helped get the student safely to class and kept the situation from causing more disruption to the school day.
Why a school resource officer responded
School resource officers are sworn law enforcement officers assigned to schools to provide security, mentorship and crisis response, according to the National Association of School Resource Officers. Data from USAFacts shows there were roughly 23,000 SROs nationwide during the 2019–2020 school year, underscoring how many districts rely on them for both safety and student welfare issues.
Monroe police told local media they are treating the traffic stop as a welfare and safety matter, while the Department of Social Services follows up with the family. For the original local reporting, see coverage from WCNC and WBTV.
