Two dedicated and enthusiastic officers are working around the clock to provide protection and ensure the safety of West Morris Mendham High School. Shawn Canada and Edward Garcia bring decades of experience to ensure a secure environment for focused and safe educational focus.
Garcia comes to the school with an impressive, professional background. He has over 25 years of experience, starting at William Paterson University and ending with his retirement in Rockaway. At WPU, Officer Canada trained and worked to become a sergeant. After completing the necessary training, he returned to Rockaway and spent the rest of his career there. When faced with the question, “What is one of the most valuable skills you learned over there?” he responded, “I think being able to deal with people… I guess share your experiences with people, being able to understand them.”
Officer Canada also comes to the school with amazing and professional experience. He has a background of being a first responder and was a volunteer firefighter for nine years. He was a State Police Officer for five years, and he’s been part of the Mendham Boro Police Department for three months. When arriving at the new part of his career in Mendham Boro, he said getting to know everyone was a skill he needed to learn if he wanted to have a more comfortable time here. “My two main priorities are safety and security,” Officer Canada said when he was asked about his valuable skills.
One key note about the officers is that Officer Canada has the morning shift and Eddward has the afternoon shift. Both officers begin their shifts directing the flow of traffic, making sure kids and other pedestrians make it across the street and into school safely with the busy traffic. The traffic is usually always busy in the morning and the afternoon, so this responsibility from the officers continues to serve as the most challenging aspect of their shifts. Throughout their shifts, the officers constantly check the security of the building, making sure everybody is safe. In the morning, Officer Canada inspects doors, interior perimeters, and the exterior area to ensure nobody who is not from the school is inside. Garcia works from 1 PM to 7 PM, handles paperwork, checks any emails, conducts security checks, and looks after any after-school athletic events.
Beyond their daily routines, both officers try to build strong relationships with staff and students so they can build trust. Officer Canada makes it a priority to learn everyone’s names and understand the dynamics and the system of West Morris Mendham High School. Garcia, on the other hand, has already built strong relationships with many people, like the field hockey team. Both officers deeply depend on students’ cooperation and communication. Garcia encourages students to approach the security team if they ever see something unusual or off. “You guys know what’s going on more than we do,” he explains, highlighting that students are often the ones to notice when something isn’t right. Both officers also want the kids to feel safe when approaching them and not intimidated. Canada advises students to just call out his name in times of need, while Garcia wants students to first go to a teacher, but wants students to feel safe when approaching him.
Getting more personal, Garcia has two kids who are both in college. His son, the youngest, is at Penn State, Harrisburg, and his daughter is at Southern Connecticut University. He is also married, and he served years in the military. He did three years of active duty and was an infantryman by trade. Outside of work, he likes to go to the gym to stay fit, and he likes to run. He used to do marathons and 10ks as part of this fun activity. Canada has two dogs, one named Bernie, and he is also married. He has kids whom he loves and adores. “At the end of the day, I get to go home and play with the kids and the dogs,” he explained.
When asked about the kind of advice they would give to a student who is considering law enforcement, Garcia explained how you need to “stay on the right track.” He said, “Obviously, continue going to school, educate yourself, and once you make that commitment to become law enforcement, whatever area you do, just keep pushing no matter what. Keep making yourself better. Keep learning.” Officer Canada explained how you need to stay disciplined and determined. He said you need to emphasize the challenges that come with the training and the learning.
When asked more about why they decided to work at Mendham High School specifically, they had some well-thought-out answers. “So I retired, okay, and I was looking for a job, something that kind of brings me back in what I did, even though this is a little different,” Garcia explained. In his last six years, he was assigned to the DEA, and he was doing something different from what he usually does. He wanted to connect back to the community, and this was the perfect way. Officer Canada responded similarly because he wanted to spend more time with the kids. He said that it was a great school, with great kids.
Officers Canada and Garcia are always ready to help the high school when in danger. We can count on them to protect us and make sure we have a secure academic environment. But they are more than just security personnel; they commit to community service and prioritize relationship-building. These officers want to make sure that we, as students, can approach them without being intimidated, so that in times of need, we can rely on them for help. Their shift from general law enforcement to SRO shows that they are committed to protecting our future leaders.
