Arrest of Nikolas Cruz after Parkland massacre changed police officer's path
FORT LAUDERDALE - Coconut Creek police Officer Michael Leonard said the day he arrested Nikolas Cruz after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School his path in law enforcement changed.
"Now I'm a school resource K9 officer. My K9 partner, Taylor, is trained to smell guns and ammunition," he said.
Leonard used to be an administrative officer. On the day of the massacre, he said everything changed. He raced out the door from his desk job and was on the hunt for a killer. He decided to check nearby neighborhoods.
"I located the suspect walking on the sidewalk," he said. "I jumped out of the truck and I treated him as if he was the person were looking for, the suspect. I asked him his name. He said Nikolas Cruz. At that very moment, I knew I had the right person."
It was that moment that would change his path.
"After catching him, I realized I need to be out helping students and just keeping them safe. I felt like I couldn't do that from a desk," Leonard said.
He left his job in administration and became a school resource officer more than three years ago. He and Taylor go to schools around Coconut Creek with Taylor sniffing for scents of a firearm.
"There was a spark that day that hasn't gone out. It's gotten bigger," he said.
He said it's a calling.
"It just gives me purpose," Leonard said. "I hope it's giving them that sense of security to know they come to school and they're safe."
He said he'd love to see this program expanded and put more dogs to work in schools. In the meantime, he plans on working as long as he can until he and Taylor can retire together.
