Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022 -- Officer Lance Ziska of the Mountain Brook Police Department (MBPD) is moving into the position of School Resource Officer (SRO) with Mountain Brook Schools at Mountain Brook Junior High. He replaces Officer Josh Glidewell who previously served in the same position. Glidewell was recently promoted to Sergeant and has returned to the MBPD Patrol Division.

 “This is a great position to be in,” Ziksa said. “Keeping kids safe is a priority of mine. I have the chance to build a relationship with students in this community. In this position, my job is to keep them physically safe but also mentally safe.”

Officer Ziksa has been in the business of public safety for nearly 34 years. He’s served others as a firefighter, paramedic and now a police officer. He is a part of the Tactical Operations Unit, Honor Guard Unit, and serves as a Firearms Instructor. Part of the reason he has stayed with Mountain Brook for so long is the support he feels from the community.

“I’ve never seen this much support from a community as it pertains to those in public safety throughout my 18 years with Mountain Brook,” Ziska said. “To be embraced by the community and feel supported makes our jobs so much better.”

Officer Ziska joins five other SROs who serve at each location in the Mountain Brook school system.