Broken Arrow schools hires security director, expanding team

Written By Brittany Harlow in collaboration with The Broken Arrow Sentinel 

(BROKEN ARROW, Okla.) Like many other districts, Broken Arrow Public Schools has mostly utilized off-duty police officers for security until opting last year to hire retired officers full-time.

BAPS is making more changes as 2024 gets under way with the new position of security director. The Broken Arrow Board of Education unanimously approved Jeff Martin for the position at their monthly meeting Monday night.

BAPS Spokesperson Tara Thompson said the security department grew from six officers to 14 in 2022, and they are working to add one to every campus.

“As safety continues to take a prominent place in district planning and resource allocation, Jeff will lead efforts to not only have the safest facilities possible, but to also increase the size of our security team,” Thompson said. “Our long-term goal is to have an armed guard at every campus. We’re a little over halfway there with our current staffing numbers, and interviews will continue until we are fully staffed.”

Martin credits his servant’s heart to his father, grandfather, and his time in the armed forces.

“I had a very good mentor while in the U.S. Army Military Police,” Martin said, “That showed me how building relationships wherever you are at, and whatever assignment you are given, will go a long way in building a successful and fulfilling career and touch people’s lives.”  

Martin worked for Broken Arrow Police Department for nearly 35 years and is closing in on 30 with the district.

Despite those numbers, he said law enforcement is not the career goal he planned.

“I thought it was going to be an initial step but it turned out to be my passion and the direction I was meant to go,” Martin said. “It is the old cliché ‘when you enjoy what you do it is not work.’“ 

Martin has worked as the Broken Arrow Campus Security Coordinator for the last 7 years.

Martin said his department has a great working relationship with Broken Arrow Police Department and they want to continue to grow it.  

“We have been able to provide physical facilities for the police department to train in and hone their skills and they have provided us with training that is second to none with their training staff that stays on top of current practices in law enforcement and methods that translate over to security,” Martin said.

He called his own team “very talented people that have a love for kids”, which he says is evident through the Beyond and Above Support Employee of the Year being a security officer for the last 2 years.  

“That’s not just due to their security performance, but the relationships they are building and the influence they have on the students and staff at their respective schools sites,” Martin said.

As weapons and illegal substances continue to show up on campuses across the state, Martin said a new challenge has been assessing the mass of tools security developers are creating to assist them.

“There are so many vendors out there with the latest and greatest security tools that it can be a little overwhelming at times,” Martin said. “We have to take a close look at what do these tools actually offer and is it addressing a realistic threat. 

Is that particular tool fitting in with the layered security approach that addresses all hazards? We try to get a lot of different eyes on the products so we receive a response from a broad spectrum of experience.”

Martin said he expects transitioning from management to leadership will also be a personal challenge due to his hands-on nature, but he and his team are ready to rise to the challenge.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity the School Board and District has given me to grow the Campus Security team and the faith they have placed in the team to keep the students and staff safe,” Martin said.

Martin’s promotion comes on the heels of the approval of the district’s 2023 bond issue, which includes a $5 million investment in safety. Those funds include a security fence, security vestibules, a dispatch center and body cameras for Campus Security members.