02/10/2026
Keeping our school safe. Supporting our students. Making a difference every day. Meet our SRO. 💙
His badge and gun are mainstays, but Officer Julian Riojas also counts a basketball and non-stick frying pan as must-have gear in his role as School Resource Officer at Viking Academy.
School safety is of paramount importance, of course, but he’s also concerned about the overall wellbeing of all 200 students he has gotten to know during his first year on the job. He’s made a concerted effort to address them by name, to help them navigate some of life’s challenges, and to teach them life skills that will travel with them down the road to adulthood.
Like how to cook an egg – scrambled, fried, or folded into a fluffy omelet.
“It was a pivotal moment in my life when I learned to cook for myself,” he said. “An egg is pretty easy, so it’s a good starting point for kids who haven’t ever cooked before.”
With that goal in mind, he gathered the supplies needed to transform a classroom into a makeshift kitchen one morning last fall, then provided hands-on instruction as students cooked their own breakfast. Students left with full stomachs, a new skill, and a greater appreciation for their SRO.
He has also led workshops to prepare students for job interviews and to recognize the signs of unhealthy relationships. He’s sponsored free-throw competitions on the basketball courts, awarding bragging rights and a Facebook photo to the winner, and carved out time to become acquainted with students during short, one-on-one walks around the school. Each of these efforts are meant to build rapport, he said, and help young people see him and other police officers as positive role models with their best interest at heart.
“When something does happen, maybe two students are about to fight or start trouble, they understand it’s time to be serious,” he said. “It’s a different situation then. I go from being a friendly officer to taking control of the situation.”
Officer Riojas grew up in California and, after deciding on a career in law enforcement, enrolled in a six-month police academy that followed military protocol. He was searching for a job when his girlfriend’s parents made the move to East Tennessee and invited them both to come along. He joined the Bristol Tennessee Police Department in 2022 and was married the following year.
Initially assigned to the Patrol Division, he was recognized by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office in 2024 for his successful record of DUI arrests. He also completed FBI training as a crisis negotiator and was exploring different law enforcement specialties within the BTPD when the SRO position became available. Since landing the job, his approach has been twofold: create a safe, secure learning environment and focus on the needs of the school’s teen population. It’s a particularly difficult time for many, he noted, when they are coming of age and simultaneously aging out of a number of community programs.
“I don’t know why, as a society, we tend to forget about kids when they become teenagers,” he said. “There are all sorts of programs for kids in elementary and middle school, then we just forget about them.”
He has many innovative ideas for programs to fill the gaps but has made his work at Viking Academy a top priority for the immediate future. He recently received a huge vote of confidence from a student who took the time to write a personal note thanking Officer Riojas for making him feel “protected and taken care of.”
In his off-duty hours, Officer Riojas enjoys life on a farm surrounded by his family -- his in-laws; wife, Delaney; and 17-month-old son, Maverick. Horses, goats, chickens, and six Great Pyrenees dogs also share the farm. His hobbies include smoking meat, cheering for his beloved Los Angeles Dodgers, and cooking. In addition to the Italian meals his wife loves, carbonara and lasagna, he has learned to make many of the Mexican dishes that were staples of his childhood. He recently started a new tradition of making a big pot of soup on Sundays, too, gathering the entire family so young Maverick can continue the family tradition of spending quality time with his grandparents.
In recognition of School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, celebrated annually on Feb. 15, we proudly salute SROs across our nation with a grateful shout out to School Resource Officer Julian Riojas. The extraordinary care he takes to ensure the safety and success of students at Viking Academy are outstanding examples of .
