In 2007, Officer Derek Ploeger left the halls of Eureka as a senior, only to return as the Student Resource Officer in 2021.
During his four years as a student, Ploeger was a part of the football team. His early connection to Eureka football could have contributed to his support of football. Along with football, in high school Ploeger knew he wanted to become a part of law enforcement.
Student Resource Officers are responsible for ensuring safety in the school environment. Officer Ploeger not only establishes safety within the school, but he takes pride in building relationships with his students.
“Honestly my favorite part of my job is just seeing all the students succeed. You know, whether it’s athletics or academics,” Ploeger said. “I just get to see everybody on a daily basis, and see how everybody develops and grows in their four years here.”
Officer Ploeger attended Eastern Missouri Police Academy in 2010, where he spent his time training to become part of law enforcement. He worked as a patrol officer until he decided to change things up and become a Student Resource Officer.
“I’ve been a policeman for 13 years, and I really just wanted to be a part of a different side of law enforcement,” Ploeger said. “I really wanted to build a relationship with the youth, and try to bridge that gap between law enforcement and students.”
Along with surveying the building all day and making sure everything is in check, Officer Ploeger has a lot of responsibilities to take care of. He deals with incidents in the school, some that require special attention and others that are not as serious.
“When I get here in the morning, the first thing I do is go to bus duty. After that, I will do a sweep of the building. Checking doors, making sure they are locked,” Ploeger said. “Usually, by that time it’s getting to be about lunch duty, and then at the end of the day I’m back to the buses.”
When Officer Ploeger is not working in the building, he likes spending time with his sons and family, as well as cooking. He watches all kinds of sports and participates in fantasy football.
Officer Ploeger also has a hidden talent of being Eureka’s DJ. The music played in the cafeteria during lunch and in the mornings when students arrive at school is all courtesy of Officer Ploeger. He chooses songs based on his mood for the day, but makes sure that it’s setting a happy positive tone for the day.
“I’m the one who controls the music in the mornings when students first get to school, and also I play the music during both lunch shifts,” Ploeger said.
