Published Nov. 7, 2023
BY CASSIDY SCHEID
The job of the Student Resource Officer at Carmel High School is to act as a mentor, provide safety, be a source of communication between Carmel Unified School District and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and serve as a resource to students and staff on campus, and Brian Postadan is fitting right into this role.
“I want to show that students can trust me, even if it’s just for schoolwork,” Postadan says, “even though I’m not the very best at math.”
CHS Student Resource Officer Brian Postadan is on campus helping students every day. (photo by CASSIDY SCHEID)
The SRO was born in Fort Ord, grew up in Salinas and went to North Salinas High School. He served in the U.S. Army for four years after high school, inspired by his dad who served 20 years in the Army. He is now a federal law enforcement trained and certified technical medical instructor and says that his military experience helps him with his job today.
“I use skills that I developed, which are leadership, loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, perseverance,” Postadan explains. “These are the things I live by, and I love having to live by these values. I learned that from the military.”
An SRO’s job is similar to that of any police officer, including the ability to respond to calls and investigate when necessary, but the role of an SRO goes beyond law enforcement serving as a role model and educator.
“If I don’t know the answer to anything, I will point [students] in the right direction and make sure that [they] are guided in the right trajectory to become productive citizens in life,” the SRO says.
Prior to being assigned as an SRO, the Salinas local was on patrol, and he’s worked for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years. It is only his first month being an SRO, but Postadan is excited to fill this role on campus. He hopes to be approachable to students and is willing to help with any issues they may have and bring his experience to help in any way possible.
“I’m here to provide safety to the students and staff,” Postadan adds, “and just make sure that the students have a safe learning environment.”
