Retired Martinsville Police Officer Coretha Gravely has been selected as Clearview Early Learning Center’s first ever School Resource Officer (SRO). Gravely’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the Martinsville City Public Schools district, completing its goal of having an SRO present in every school.
A true trailblazer, Gravely was the first Black woman to join the Martinsville Police Department when she was hired in 1991. She retired from full-time duty in 2023 and is returning part-time to take on her new role as Clearview’s first SRO.
“Officer Gravely is already a very familiar face at Clearview through her extensive community involvement over the years,” said T.J. Slaughter, the school division’s director of School Safety and Emergency Management. “She has participated in countless family events and other activities at Clearview and other schools in our district. We couldn’t be happier to have her on board, completing our team of district SROs.”
An active member of the Martinsville community, Gravely has dedicated her career to connecting with residents and working to make the city a better, safer place. In her new role as Clearview’s SRO, she will help create a secure environment for the preschool’s students, faculty, and staff as part of the district’s multi-layered safety system.
“School resource officers are a critical and highly visible part of the comprehensive security measures we have implemented to ensure students and staff can learn and work in a safe environment,” Slaughter added. “While many of our safety enhancements operate behind the scenes to avoid detracting from the learning environment, our SROs are on the front lines, building relationships with staff and students while keeping everyone safe.”
Thanks to the district’s partnership with the Martinsville City Police Department and the Martinsville Sheriff’s Office, resource officers have been in place in every K-12 building in Martinsville for nearly a decade. With the addition of Officer Gravely, Martinsville City Public Schools has successfully placed a dedicated SRO in every school in the district, a major security achievement.
