Stolen calculators, a search warrant and 2 memories of what happened: NPR

Sometimes people have a profound impact on our lives and change their trajectory.

This story is part of our "Lost Connections" series and begins at Southridge High School in Beaverton, Oregon.

Greg McKelvey works as director of advocacy for a non-profit organization.

Courtesy of Greg McKelvey

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Courtesy of Greg McKelvey

Greg McKelvey works as director of advocacy for a non-profit organization.

Courtesy of Greg McKelvey

In 2010, Greg McKelvey was a junior. He recalls: "When I was in high school, the police officer in my school often called me, as well as many of my friends, out of the classroom in his office."

It was the resource officer of the school, Andrew Halbert. He was the representative of the police department at Southridge High.

Halbert remembered that the theft had increased in school.

"All that was easily detectable, so like a graphing calculator, an iPod, an iPhone – any sort of easy electronics to take."

Under pressure from school officials and parents Halbert led a flight investigation. For a year, Halbert conducted interviews and collected digital evidence. Halbert's investigation results in the execution of a search warrant at Greg McKelvey's home

Eight years later, McKelvey spoke of the trauma of this experiment. The Twitter feed has become viral.

McKelvey, who is black, says he has often been targeted by police.

"The police did not just harass me and my high school friends, it was part of being black in a white neighborhood," he tweeted.

The Halbert investigation on Twitter as part of a local debate about the presence of police officers in schools. He wished to illustrate the fact that they were not always present in a reassuring way, especially for colored students.

McKelvey stated that he had never been accused of stealing calculators.

Halbert stated that he had forwarded the case to his successor and that he did not know how or if the problem had been solved. He remembers a much less aggressive experience than that described by McKelvey.

Both agreed to meet on the air, where they still have very different opinions about what happened in 2010 at the end of the school year.

Interview Summary [19659024] About Halbert's Responses to McKelvey's Tweets

Andrew Halbert was the former resource officer at Southridge High School in Beaverton, Oregon.

Karen Manuel / Courtesy of Andrew Halbert

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Karen Manuel / Courtesy of Andrew Halbert

Andrew Halbert was the former school resource officer at Southridge High School in Beaverton, Oregon.

Karen Manuel / Courtesy of Andrew Halbert

I was surprised because I have been out of law enforcement for quite some time. Surveys or things that I did at work were quite far apart and did not come back often.

I always think that the conversation must be continuous and that it must be a conversation. The analogy that I used is that we had the DARE program and that it was revealed to be largely ineffective. It is therefore important to look at and evaluate what is done.

I still think that the value of a school resource officer is extremely important. I think in many cases this is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the scary police officers who are on the move, and to try to find ways to share the realities of police work – and vice versa. the realities these students experience in law enforcement in their own communities.

Knowing whether it was helpful to change Halbert's investigation changed McKelvey's perspective

No, I do not think that changes that … I think when you have black students who fear that many officers will come to them by the door, they will be removed from class or arrested at the track of training. – and you have white students who are afraid that maybe they will not be detained (19459049) – I think this gap deserves to be discussed.

And then keep in mind that officers are at school to bridge the gap that separates the community. I mean, no other profession is rewarded in this way. I do not see why the officers are there to do that. If community policemen did not do things that are scary, then there would be no reason to close that gap …

… I mean, I never thought that I was going to do that. Agent Halbert was just a racist white cop who was just to get black kids. But when we talk about fairness and treat everyone on an equal footing, I do not think it speaks to the inherent prejudices that we all have. That's not necessarily why you would do this investigation, but what were the best ways to do it, how could it be better if black children were in detention or if you know, speak on the principle of vice of the same way that white kids in these whites the majority schools are.

To know if Halbert would have done things differently

I feel comfortable in my decision making. But, again, I would always hope that the formal decision or the official criminal path is not the number one option to use. I therefore hope that an earlier intervention would have had a more positive outcome.

McKelvey on their different perspectives

I think we both lack context, on each side. But I do not think there is disagreement about the impact it would have on me or on students who are experiencing similar experiences across the country.