Nelsen, members of the Gladstone Public Safety Department, local Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers, Michigan State Police troopers and the Delta County Sheriff’s Department attended both lunch hours at Gladstone High School on Wednesday.

Nelsen coordinated the event to encourage conversation between students and law enforcement.

“What if we just had everybody together at lunch and (students) just talk to them how they talk to me?” Nelsen said. “I want (students) to meet them and realize that they’re not scary – they’re not meant to be out there for you to be afraid of them. They have a job just like I have a job, and I just want (students) to put faces to our titles in a comfortable setting.”

Nelsen is in her second year as the Gladstone School District’s SRO, and she has already coordinated another event for the community, Pedal with Police. She said she often gets questions from students about other areas of law enforcement.

Sophomore Abby Lundin talks to Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Steve Butzin during Cops and Conversations at Gladstone High School on Wednesday. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

“I don’t necessarily know everything. I’ll tell them to ‘circle back in between classes and I’ll have an answer for you,'” she said.

Cops and Conversations allowed students to not only learn names and faces of area law enforcement but to also ask questions about their careers and the law.

As Gladstone Public Safety said in a written statement on Facebook, “Students had the opportunity to meet the officers, enjoy lunch, and ask questions in a relaxed and welcoming setting. It was a great chance to build relationships, learn more about careers in public safety, and connect with the people who serve and protect our community every day.”

Both lunch hours were filled with conversations among students and law enforcement, the first being primarily juniors and seniors and the second being mostly freshman and sophomores.

“We talked a little bit about law enforcement, what grade they’re in, career paths and a handful of law questions,” DNR Conservation Officer Brandon Maki said.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Brandon Maki sat down with freshmen Benjamin Occhietti, Colby Klein and Keondre Birch to discuss their plans for the future during Cops and Conversations at Gladstone High School on Wednesday. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

One senior, Mason Sierpien, along with friends Jonas Molinari, Carter Farnes and Chase Ketcham spoke with DNR Conservation Officers Steve Butzin and Maki during first hour lunch Wednesday.

“We were talking about dirt bikes,” Sierpien said. “It was nice, it was very good.”

Freshmen Colby Klein, Keondre Birch and Benjamin Occhietti sat down with Maki during the second lunch hour.

“We talked about what’s going on in our life,” Klein said.

“… What we’re doing after school, senior year,” Occhietti added.

Area law enforcement officers gathered for Gladstone School Resource Officer Mallory Nelsen's Cops and Conversations lunch event Wednesday at the high school. From left, in back are Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers Mike Hammill and Rob Freeborn, Michigan State Police Troopers Drew Greibel and Josiah Povich, Gladstone Public Safety Officer Aaron Quinlan, MSP Trooper Gavin Lamarche and Delta County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Steve Kozitsky. In front are DNR Conservation Officers Steve Butzin and Brandon Maki, Gladstone School District Resource Officer Mallory Nelsen, Gladstone PSO Bradley Nault, Delta County Sheriff's Deputy Dan LaCarte, DNR Conservation Officer Mark Zitnik and Gladstone PSO Charity Potier. (Courtesy photo)

Birch said he wanted to become an athlete in soccer and other sports after high school.

Nelsen plans to invite law enforcement back for another Cops and Conversations lunch quarterly, with the next lunch slated for sometime in January.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.