LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Protecting teens and showing a different side to policing is the motto for a Clark County School District police officer who has gained quite the reputation with students.
Students at Rancho High School call him Mr. Fun Cop, but Mario Mitchell said it's them who make the job fun and exciting to come back to every day.
With every new handshake and conversation had, Mitchell said he learns something new from students he works with every day.
"Oh you're the TikTok cop, and I'm like yeah, that's me," Mitchell said.
That's what he's known as at Rancho High School, and it's a tittle he doesn't take lightly.
"A lot of people look at law enforcement as having a more intimidating aspect of it, and we just want to show them something different," he said.
That something is compassion and understanding that at the end of the day....
"We want them to be able to come to us," he said.
Mitchell believes it's one of the most important things about being a school police officer.
"Our number one goal is to keep the kids safe. That's always our priority, but at the end of the day, there's a big umbrella," he said.
With the title comes connecting with kids, something he's mastered.
His TikTok page Mr. Fun Cop has gained a following of more than 30,000 people, and while it may look like they are just having fun, its purpose is much deeper.
To him, it's about building meaningful relationships with students through something they can relate to.
"I never thought that it would blow up to this extent, but to be here is very rewarding," Mitchell said.
It's a rewarding reminder of why he joined the force to begin with and motivation to keep on doing what he loves most: mentoring students and making memories along the way.
"Mentorship, at the end of the day, is just something that brings me joy."
