Pilot Butte Middle School teacher to receive National Award of Valor for role in getting gun away from 12-year-old student
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding school superintendent’s comment)
HOOVER, Ala. (KTVZ) — The National Association of School Resource Officers announced Thursday that it will present its National Award of Valor to Katie Tiktin, a teacher at Pilot Butte Middle School in Bend, and a regional Exceptional Service Award to Officer Jabral Johnson, a school resource officer with the West Linn Police Department.
NASRO will present these awards and others on Monday, July 7, during a ceremony as part of its annual National School Safety Conference in Grapevine Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
The National Award of Valor recognizes people for acts of courage and valor above and beyond what would normally be expected.
On October 21, 2024, a 12-year-old child brought a loaded handgun to Pilot Butte Middle School and was on his way to possibly commit a school shooting when he sought out Tiktin, who had developed a rapport with the student over the previous year, the organization said.
After the student showed Tiktin the gun, she escorted him out of the building and away from possible targets, putting herself between the student and other children.
She instructed the student to put his hands on a fence while she called the school’s school resource officer. The SRO disarmed and apprehended the student without incident.
Upon learning of the honor, Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook shared his thoughts and appreciation for how Tiktin responded that day.
“Katie knew exactly what to do,” he said. “Calmly, she escorted the student outside, away from others, thereby reducing the potential targets. Within minutes, the student was disarmed and taken into police custody.
“Katie put aside her fear and took quick, decisive action to protect others and prevent this tense moment from escalating,” Cook said. “Her composure and selfless gesture were nothing less than astonishing.”
Tiktin is one of four people from across the nation who will receive a NASRO National Award of Valor this year.
The Exceptional Service Award recognizes one recipient in each of NASRO’s 10 regions who demonstrates continuous and sustained service to the school community above and beyond that normally expected of an SRO. Johnson will receive the award for a region that includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
During the July awards ceremony, NASRO will also present several other awards, including its Floyd Ledbetter National School Resource Officer of the Year Award.
About the NASRO National School Safety Conference
NASRO’s 35th annual National School Safety Conference takes place July 6 through July 11 at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas. The conference provides opportunities for attendees to learn best practices for SRO and other school safety programs. It also provides networking opportunities to SROs and other law enforcement officers, as well as school security and safety officials, school board members, administrators and anyone interested in school safety.
About NASRO
NASRO is a nonprofit organization for school-based law enforcement officers, school administrators, and school security and safety professionals working as partners to protect students, school faculty and staff, and the schools they serve. NASRO is headquartered in Hoover, Alabama, and was established in 1991. For more information, visit www.nasro.org.