Zane Grey Intermediate SRO -Mike Choma- Retires After 34 Years With ZPD

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- After working with the Zanesville Police Department for 34 years, and the last three of them being as a student resource officer at Zane Grey Intermediate, Mike Choma is gearing up for retirement. 

In his more than three decades serving the Zanesville area, and three years serving Zane Grey Intermediate, he made sure that he developed relationships with the students and fostered an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

“I think the safety is important, probably the most, but I think it’s important that they see you as a human being and not just something they see on TV, somebody that has feelings… I think they need to see that we’re human, and I think a lot of people have lost touch with that we are human beings,” Mike Choma, school resource officer at Zane Grey Intermediate stated.

While retiring officer Choma is not leaving his post just yet. He will continue to serve Zane Grey Intermediate while enjoying a little more free time.

“I’m continuing here at the school as a sort of like resource officer but security officer. I’ll be wearing the uniform, and I’ll be doing about the same job… I’ll do some traveling, having some fun, doing some vacations, just a little bit more free time, and a little less stress,” Officer Choma said.

When asked why now was the time to retire, he said that he didn’t have any regrets working with the police force and enjoyed his time there, but it was time for him to take things a little more slow.