When the first bell rings each morning at Whitefish Middle School, Trey Nasset stands in the main entryway and greets students. He is the school resource officer but looks like he could be a teacher or parent.

While he does carry some police gear, like a badge, gun, handcuffs and radio, he dresses casually. A polo shirt and a North Face jacket makes him less intimidating and more approachable. 

"We dress down a little bit to bridge that gap between the uniform and the kids,” Nasset said. “A lot of them know me by my first name, which is great. If they have problems, they're willing to come talk to me.” 

One of the most valuable parts of his job is getting to know the students, their families and the ins and outs of their lives in a relaxed atmosphere, rather than having their first interaction in an emergency situation. 

Once classes begin, Nasset walks the hallways, checks doors and says hi to everyone. He spends time meeting with individual students to talk about their lives, sometimes discussing vape education or substance abuse issues. 

“We do welfare checks,” he said. “If we have a student whose attendance is lacking and they don't show up for school, a school administrator and I will pair up and go out to a house and just make sure they're OK.”  

Nasset grew up in Kalispell where his dad, Roger, served as police chief, so his familiarity with law enforcement is deeply engrained. So, too, is the importance of the connection between the police and the community. 

After graduating from Flathead High School, Nasset started his career with the Sherriff's Office in the detention center where he worked for three years. He was hired by the Whitefish Police Department 11 years ago as a patrolman, working rotating,12-hour shifts. 

Nasset applied for and secured the school resource officer job last year after an extensive interview process. Selection is based, in part, on performance and fit. 

“It's a sought-after position, which isn't always the case in all communities, but we have a very good school administration, and we have a good police administration that's supportive of us,” Nasset said. “Getting off of shift work and into the community a little more is a good thing.” 

Working more regular hours is an appealing part of the job because it allows him more time with his children who are students in the school district and his wife, Coral, who teaches English at Whitefish High School. 

"I have kids of my own, so I'm really invested in the welfare of this school and these kids and the community surrounding it,” Nasset said. “I think that our children are the most important part of our community, so being able to affect them directly is huge, and it means a lot to me.” 

He said he often identifies when a student is having a bad day and offers to have a conversation with him before he acts out in class. Daily communication is a vital aspect of his position and Nasset said interacting with the kids is his favorite part of his job. 

The school resource officer position is a three-year, rotating job, so Nasset will be working at Whitefish High School next year.  

“It keeps us moving,” he said of the job. “We get to know everybody, different parts and pieces of the community, which I think is really important, especially for going back on patrol.  

“We get to know these kids. We get to know the staff,” he added. “So, when we deal with people later on ... we know some background. It's more meaningful for us and more meaningful for them.”

Nasset also serves on the Northwest Montana SWAT Team, an auxiliary duty which gives him a dose of “good, exciting stuff” that balances his work in the schools.