School Safety

Supervising Officer Kevin Green — Graves County Middle School

Assigned: Graves County Middle School
Years in Law Enforcement: 18
SRO Experience: 8 years

Supervising Officer Kevin Green serves as the School Resource Officer at Graves County Middle School and provides leadership and support within the Graves County Schools safety program. With 18 years of law enforcement experience, Officer Green previously served 8 years as a Deputy Sheriff and 2 years as a Chief of Police, gaining extensive experience in public safety, leadership, and community engagement.
 

Officer Green is a graduate of Ballard Memorial High School and has completed vocational training through West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC). His professional training includes School Resource Officer Certification Levels 1, 2, and 3, as well as Crisis Intervention Certification, equipping him to support both school safety and student well-being.
 

As a School Resource Officer, Officer Green serves as both a safety leader and a positive role model within the school community. He proactively maintains a secure learning environment by addressing concerns early, preventing conflicts, and responding effectively to incidents. Equally important, he strives to be a trusted mentor and resource for students, helping them make positive choices and supporting a culture of respect and responsibility within the school.
 

Officer Green believes that building relationships with students begins with being visible, approachable, and consistently positive throughout the school day. He regularly greets students in the halls, attends school events, visits classrooms, and takes time for informal conversations so students see him as a trusted adult, not just a law enforcement presence.
 

Originally from Ballard County, Officer Green has served the Graves County community for six years and has developed strong connections with students, families, and staff. He and his wife, Leigh Ann, have been married for 35 years and have two sons, Dylan, who lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Ayden, a senior at Ballard Memorial High School. They are also proud grandparents to one grandchild.
 

Outside of work, Officer Green enjoys camping, riding bicycles, working on the farm with cattle, and taking cruises.

Officer Mikey J. Turnbow — Graves County High School

Assigned: Graves County High School
Years in Law Enforcement: 45
SRO Experience: 4 years

Officer Mikey J. Turnbow serves as the School Resource Officer at Graves County High School and brings more than four decades of law enforcement experience to the role. Over the course of his career, Officer Turnbow served 25 years with the Kentucky State Police, including 16 years as a K-9 handler, specializing in criminal patrol and drug interdiction. He later served 17 years as Chief Deputy with the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office and worked for 3 years as a Juvenile Probation Officer, gaining valuable experience working directly with youth and families.

Officer Turnbow holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Murray State University and has completed extensive professional training, including K-9 operations, SWAT, criminal patrol, drug interdiction, firearms instruction, and police executive leadership training.

As a School Resource Officer, Officer Turnbow’s primary goal is to ensure the safety and security of students, staff, and visitors at Graves County High School while also serving as a trusted adult that students and staff can talk to about any concern. He believes that building relationships with students starts with simply talking, listening, and asking questions, which allows students to feel comfortable and supported.

Outside of work, Officer Turnbow enjoys riding his motorcycle and spending time with his dogs. He and his wife, Amy, have a daughter, Tori.

Officer Mike Gills — Central Elementary

Assigned: Central Elementary
Years in Law Enforcement: 27
SRO Experience: 8 years

Officer Mike Gills serves as the School Resource Officer at Central Elementary School and brings 27 years of law enforcement experience to Graves County Schools. He spent 23 years with the Mayfield Police Department, where he served in several roles, including School Resource Officer, D.A.R.E. Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Field Training Officer, mentoring and training new officers entering the profession.

Officer Gills holds both an Associate Degree in Arts and an Associate Degree in Science. Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in programs focused on youth education, community policing, and officer development.

As a School Resource Officer, Officer Gills focuses on ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff while helping create a positive school environment where everyone feels comfortable and secure. He works to build strong relationships with students so they have another trusted adult they can rely on when they need guidance or support.

Officer Gills believes that relationships are built through daily interactions. He spends time with students in classrooms, hallways, lunch periods, and recess, and often works one-on-one with students who may need encouragement or support. Sometimes that simply means taking a short walk with a student who is feeling anxious so they can relax and refocus.

Originally from Graves County, Officer Gills values the opportunity to serve the community he calls home. Outside of work, he enjoys golf and occasional fishing. He and his wife have three children and a lively household that includes three dogs, two cats, a tortoise, and two geckos.

Officer Ryan Dawson — Symsonia Elementary

Assigned: Symsonia Elementary
Years in Law Enforcement: 31
SRO Experience: 4 years

Officer Ryan Dawson serves as the School Resource Officer at Symsonia Elementary School and brings more than three decades of law enforcement experience to Graves County Schools. Throughout his career, Officer Dawson has served with several agencies, including the Murray Police Department (1994–1997 and 2019–2022), the Kentucky State Police (1998–2014), and the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office (2015–2019). His extensive background includes patrol operations, investigations, and community-based policing.

Officer Dawson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Murray State University and has completed specialized professional training, including Law Enforcement Driving Range Coordinator certification, Critical Incident Management training, and D.A.R.E. Instructor certification.

Officer Dawson believes a successful School Resource Officer must balance multiple roles throughout the school day—serving as an educator, counselor, mentor, and law enforcement officer when needed. Each day presents different challenges, and he adapts in ways that best support students and staff.

Building strong relationships with students is central to Officer Dawson’s work. He believes it is important for students to see him not just as a police officer, but as someone who cares about them and is there to protect and support them. His daily interactions often include offering encouragement, listening to students, and sharing positive moments with them, helping students feel safe and valued at school.

Officer Dawson has lived in Murray, Kentucky, since he was one year old. He chose to serve in Graves County Schools to step away from traditional policing and focus on working directly with young people.

Outside of work, Officer Dawson enjoys playing pickleball, kayaking, and golfing. He has two daughters: Abigail Dawson, who works for the U.S. Department of Justice and serves in the United States Air Force, and another daughter who is currently a student at Murray State University.

Officer Jason L. Riegler Sr. — Sedalia Elementary

Assigned: Sedalia Elementary
Years in Law Enforcement: 27
SRO Experience: 4 years

Officer Jason L. Riegler Sr. serves as the School Resource Officer at Sedalia Elementary School and brings more than 40 years of public service experience to his role. Before entering law enforcement, Officer Riegler spent 13 years in Southern California as a firefighter and EMS provider, serving his community in emergency response and lifesaving services.

After moving to Kentucky, Officer Riegler began his law enforcement career, working for 2½ years at the Graves County Jail, followed by service with the Graves County Sheriff’s Department. He then spent 20 years with the Mayfield Police Department, retiring as a Lieutenant. He is currently serving his fourth year as a School Resource Officer with Graves County Schools.

Officer Riegler is Police Academy-certified and has completed the Academy of Police Supervision, as well as more than 25 years of in-service law enforcement training focused on leadership, safety, and community policing.

As a School Resource Officer, Officer Riegler’s mission is to protect and serve students, teachers, and staff, and to mentor, counsel, and teach the students he interacts with daily. He believes that keeping schools safe goes hand in hand with building strong relationships with the students and staff he serves.

Officer Riegler is known for his positive interactions with students, often greeting them with high-fives, fist bumps, encouragement, humor, and friendly conversation. Whether in the hallways, cafeteria, gym, playground, or classroom, he works to create an atmosphere where students feel supported and comfortable. He also makes it a priority to be present for students on difficult days and to offer encouragement.

Originally from Southern California, Officer Riegler lived there for 30 years before moving to western Kentucky, where he has now lived for another 30 years. He credits his move to the area to a greater purpose and says he feels blessed to serve the community he now calls home.

Officer Riegler has been married to his wife Christy for more than 20 years. Together, they have six grown children and ten grandchildren, along with two doodle dogs and two cats. Outside of work, he enjoys studying history and playing or singing music.

Officer Riegler reflects proudly on his career in public service, saying that after 40 years of serving others, he has not regretted a single minute.