This petition is to keep Officer Mike Knox as the School Resource Officer at Amherst Middle School. Officer Knox has served the students, staff, faculty and community of Amherst in the position of SRO for the last 8 years. He has developed critical relationships and knowledge regarding the students and the community that cannot be replicated by a new officer without years of experience in the position. Teenagers are difficult to reach, but as evidenced by recent letters to the editor of the Amherst Citizen and testimony at a recent Amherst School Board meeting Officer Knox has managed to build solid relationships with the students of AMS. We the undersigned feel strongly that the removal of Officer Knox could have a negative effect on our middle school, our children and the community of Amherst, NH. We request that Chief Lyons reinstate Officer Knox for the 2011-2012 school year.