Employee Spotlight: MITCH REGNAS

As a School Safety Specialist, Mitch works closely with law enforcement agencies, school resource officers, and educators across Arkansas to support training initiatives and strengthen school safety efforts. Drawing on more than 13 years of law enforcement experience—including time as an SRO—he brings practical insight, strong relationships, and an enthusiastic, people-first approach to the Center’s daily work.

Mitch brings a well-rounded background in law enforcement, beginning his career with the Springdale Police Department before returning to central Arkansas to serve with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in northern Pulaski County, he is a graduate of North Pulaski High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from UALR. He is married to his high school sweetheart and is a proud father of three. Passionate about mentoring and youth development, Mitch remains committed to helping officers and school staff create safe, supportive environments for students.

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What do you do at the Criminal Justice Institute?
I am the School Safety Specialist in the Arkansas Center for School Safety.

How long have you been with the Criminal Justice Institute?
2.5 years

What do you enjoy most about working with law enforcement?
I enjoy continuing to work with law enforcement officers across Arkansas and the nation, sharing the knowledge I gained during my 13.5 years of service in law enforcement. I’m passionate about providing the best possible training and take pride in supporting officers, SROs, and educational staff as they work to create safe learning environments for students and staff.

I’ve held several roles in law enforcement, but being an SRO was by far my favorite. During that time, I launched a youth mentoring and leadership program called B.U.I.L.D. (Boys United in Leadership Development), which focused on teaching leadership skills and providing mentorship to young boys. I truly believe the SRO role is one of the most rewarding positions in law enforcement. Every day brings a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on students, educators, parents, and the community in ways that other roles often cannot.

Do you have a favorite CJI course or program to work on?
I love all of the training classes we provide, but my favorite is SRO Basic. In this course, SROs learn the core concepts of what it takes to be an effective School Resource Officer. It’s a great opportunity to show new SROs just how important and rewarding the role can be.

It takes a lot of teamwork to deliver a great class, and our instructors are incredible to work with. They are deeply passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience, which is what makes SRO Basic so impactful. Another thing I enjoy is that we’re able to adapt the training to meet the evolving needs of our SROs, whether that involves changes in social media, technology, laws, or other emerging challenges.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve received was in a class at CJI several years ago when I was still an SRO. The instructor said, “They don’t care what you know until they know that you care,” which has really stuck with me to this day.

What’s one word your coworkers would use to describe you?
Friendly

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids, whether it’s traveling, going to ball games, attending college events, or anything in between. I also enjoy collecting whiskey and bourbon. It’s kind of like a grown-up version of treasure hunting, where I travel to different parts of the country searching for hard-to-find or unique bottles. I find the history of distilleries and the art of whiskey and bourbon production especially fascinating.