Have you met your school’s NRO? In the city of Sunnyvale, Neighborhood Resource Officers, or NRO’s, serve as liaisons between the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS), our schools, and the community. They focus their efforts on community outreach, crime prevention, fire and public safety education, and mentoring youth through a variety of programs. Three NRO’s are specifically assigned to SSD schools. NRO’s serve anywhere from three to five years before transferring to another specialty.
Officer Jason Pistor: Bishop, Columbia Middle, Fairwood, Lakewood, San Miguel, Vargas
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jason Pistor. I am your assigned Neighborhood Resource Officer (NRO) for your school. I am a newly assigned NRO to the Crime Prevention Unit and a recent graduate of the School Resource Officer (SRO) class taught in Southern California by a representative of the California Police Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST).
I have been a police officer for the past 20 years. I started my career as a police officer in the State of Hawaii. I have been employed by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety since 2007. Throughout my career as a police officer, I held the following positions: Crime Scene Investigator, Drug Recognition Officer, Patrol Field Training Officer, Peer Support Team, Drone Unit, Motorcycle Instructor, Traffic Officer, and Crisis Intervention Team.
I currently hold a bachelor’s in Human Communication with minors in Psychology and Criminology and a graduate degree in Criminal Justice Administration. I aspire someday to go back to school and obtain a doctorate degree. When I am not at work, I am a single dad to two wonderful girls and a furry son, named Joey. My daughters are 6 and 9 and my puppy is 6 months old. I have included pictures of me and my family so you can put a face to my name.
My desire is to create a healthy bridge between your students and law enforcement. An additional goal of mine is to ensure the safety and security of your school. Due to my unique background, I can assist in teaching classes that involve staying away from drugs, active shooter awareness, or bicycle safety.
Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to introduce myself. If you need me, you can contact me via my email (jpistor@sunnyvale.ca.gov) or my business cell phone (408-431-1680). I look forward to partnering with you during this school year.
Officer Elisa Barrios: Cherry Chase Elementary, Fremont High School, Homestead High School, FUHSD Community Day School, FUHSD Educational Options
This is Officer Barrios’ first year as an NRO. She has 7 years of experience as a police officer with Sunnyvale DPS. As an NRO, she gives presentations on a variety of topics from what to do in a lockdown situation to anti-bullying campaigns. Since joining the NRO program, she has helped train the Sunnyvale Explorers as well as participated in community events such as Fantasy Flight and Shop with a Cop.
“I’ve wanted to become a police officer since I was a child because I always looked up to my Uncle who served Mountain View Police Department. Since joining Sunnyvale, it has been an amazing experience and I am looking forward to serving the community and students of Sunnyvale.”
Officer Barrios is a native of Mountain View and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from San Jose State, where she played Division 1 softball for their team. After graduating, she served 7 years in the United States Marine Corps. For fun she enjoys working out, doing yoga, family vacations, kayaking and attending country concerts.
Contact: ebarrios@sunnyvale.ca.gov
Officer Spencer Chen: Cumberland Elementary, Ellis Elementary, and Sunnyvale Middle School
My name is Spencer Chen and I am currently in my third year assigned as one of the Neighborhood Resource Officers for the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. I have been a police officer for over 15 years and began my career in 2006 when I was hired by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.
During my time with Sunnyvale DPS, I have been a Crime Scene Investigator, Drug Abuse Recognition Officer, Gang Enforcement Team member, Police Field Training Officer, Police Academy Recruit Training Officer, Peer Support team member, Drone pilot, Tactical Medic, Background Investigator, EMT/CPR Instructor, and Emergency Vehicle Operations Instructor.
Before starting my career, I attended the University of California San Diego where I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. After college, I swore I would never return to school, but plans always change, and in 2018, I earned my master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.
When not at work, I am a busy dad of two, a three-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy, and husband to my wife of seven and a half years…I won’t be sharing her age. We enjoy traveling for adventure but mostly for food. I love the outdoors and strive to spend as much time in nature as possible. In my younger years, I would SCUBA drive anywhere. Now that I am older, I have turned into more of a tropical water/destination diver.
My goal is to support you, your staff, students, families, and communities in any way that I can. While not all issues require law enforcement intervention, I am always happy to collaborate to develop a plan together. I believe we can all agree that working as a team is the most effective way to positively influence the youth of today. I look forward to working together in the upcoming year. Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can assist with.
Best, Spencer
schen@sunnyvale.ca.gov 408-730-7184 (desk) 408-464-3132 (cell)
