Working as a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Tunstall for the past 13 years, Deputy Silverman plays an important role in the day-to-day safety and life at our school. While his patrolling of the halls might be interesting to some, there is far more to learn about Deputy Silverman than merely his involvement at THS. 

Growing up in New York City, Deputy Silverman was given the opportunity to experience things not available to those living in rural Virginia.

“We had things there that kids here will never get to experience. Field trips to the museums, to the shows, to the athletic events, stuff we can’t do here. It was different, the world was different,” said Deputy Silverman.

Deputy Silverman played ice hockey while living in New York. Due to cold weather, ice hockey is a very big sport in the north, even bigger than football.

“Football is a big sport up north, but it’s still second seed to ice hockey. I was probably ice skating before I was ever throwing a ball.” 

As a member of the local community pool, Deputy Silverman also participated in competitive diving while living in New York. After deciding the swim team wasn’t for him, Deputy Silverman took to the boards and decided he felt more at home there. 

Between the two sports, however, ice hockey was, and still is, his favorite. While he no longer plays, Deputy Silverman still watches hockey and attributes his love for soccer to the similarities between the sports.

In February of his high school senior year, Deputy Silverman earned his GED and joined the military the following month. Deputy Silverman served in both the Army and the Air Force for eleven and a half years, both active duty. While serving, Deputy Silverman was stationed in England, North Dakota, Texas, New Jersey, and Germany, and traveled through almost all 50 states, Panama, Korea, England, Germany, Spain, Libya, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

“The military was a good thing when I got in and a good thing when I got out. It was time for me to go in and I’m glad I did it, but when I got out, it was time for me to get out, too.” 

Having been in both military and civilian law enforcement, since he joined the military at 17-years-old, after leaving the military, Deputy Silverman took a job at the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office where he has been for 19 years.

“I wasn’t sure this was what I wanted to do. I wasn’t really a good kid and I think that’s why I get along with some around here so well. I had a cop intervene in my life when I was 17-years-old and turned me around and influenced me to do better, and helped me make the decision to join the military.” 

In 2005, Deputy Silverman became a School Resource Officer at Tunstall and has been a Trojan ever since.

“Making the decision to become an SRO started off for selfish reasons. At the time, it was choosing between Monday through Friday school hours or 12 hour swing shifts, but after a while you realize, maybe you can do for one what someone else did for you.”

Silverman not only cares about students as a whole, but he also cares about the individual.

“I think my best day in this building is the day someone in this building comes up to me and says, ‘I was in a wreck last night and the car is totaled, but here I am’ because they listened in Driver’s Ed and wore a seat belt and survived a car crash. If I can get one, that’s why.”