Carr is named W.Va. PRO Officer of the year

Carr
ELKINS — Randolph County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ethan Carr was recently named Prevention Resource Officer of the Year for West Virginia.
Carr, who is one of three Prevention Resource Officers in Randolph County, received the Chuck Sadler PRO of the Year Award, which is given out yearly to one police officer for their dedicated service to the PRO Program and the state of West Virginia.
“I’m very proud of Ethan, he did a great job last year and he was recognized for it,” Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon told The Inter-Mountain. “We are proud of him and the entire PRO Program that we have in the county. We are doing some good work in our schools. But it’s a huge honor for Ethan to be named the top PRO Officer in the state.”
Carr, who has been a deputy for the past 11 years, was added as the county’s third PRO officer in January 2023. Carr was stationed at Elkins High School, where he has been ever since.
“When I began my law enforcement career, my aim, shared by many of my fellow first responders, was to make a community impact,” Carr said in a press release. “Following a call from Deputy Rocky Hebb explaining the program, he encouraged me to apply. I was selected for the position and began my work with the support of Elkins High School and Randolph County School administrators, staff, and students, resulting in a seamless transition.”
Hebb and Daniel Pennington serve as the other two PRO Officers in the county. Hebb is stationed at Tygarts Valley High School during the school year, while Pennington is at Elkins Middle School. All three officers return to regular duty as Randolph County Sheriff deputies during the summer when school is on break.
PRO Officers’ main objective at the schools is to make sure students are safe at all times, but that’s not all they do while on campus. The officers also conduct an array of classes at the schools, play sports with students, and engage in other activities.
“My primary objective is to ensure a safe learning environment for every child in Randolph County Schools, enabling them to focus on their education,” Carr wrote in the release. “I strive to identify and address any safety issues and personally enjoy classroom facilitation as a means of combating juvenile delinquency.
“I build rapport with students through positive interaction, informal discussions, and engaging them in the classroom, guiding them towards a successful path post-graduation.”
Through a partnership with the Randolph County Commission and the Randolph County Board of Education, the program got its start in 2021 when Pennington and Hebb, who is the PRO regional liaison for Tucker, Upshur, Barbour and Randolph counties, were sent to their respective schools.
“We got three guys in there and all of them are doing a great job,” Elbon said. “Rocky is the liaison for the region for the PRO Program, so he’s over several other counties and oversees their guys, talks to them, and works with them on a lot of different things. I’m really proud of that program.”
Carr said he was humbled to receive the award and believes that all PRO Officers are deserving of such recognition.
“After receiving the highest award given in the state of West Virginia, I feel extremely blessed for the opportunity and continued support for the program,” Carr said in the release. “I work with two great deputies in Randolph County Schools in Sgt. Daniel Pennington and Deputy Rocky Hebb. We are motivated to continue being role models, mentors, and making a positive difference in the youth in our community for years to come.”