Lakeside High Officer Heading to Iraq

Lakeside High School's school resource officer – and a boy's soccer coach – is leaving his post at the school to train bomb-sniffing dogs in Iraq.

Officer J.R. Huff, who has been at the school almost three years, worked his last day Tuesday. He'll soon be heading to Baghdad where he was contracted by the U.S. State Department to train bomb-sniffing dogs and the people who work with them, Lakeside High Principal Joe Reed said Wednesday.

Huff is one of the best dog trainers on the East Coast, Reed said, and his presence will be missed at the school.

"I think he's effective," he said. "One of the things that he does it is that he helps to de-escalate situations. He’s really good at that. He builds relationships with the kids whether they’re black, white, Hispanic. He just talks to them straight. The kids who are problems respected that and are fine."

Huff could not be reached for comment.

The embassy where Huff will operate has more than 100 acres, and more than 1,000 people live within its borders, Reed said.

The DeKalb County School System will likely replace Huff, but until then, the school should be fine. Huff also plans to continue his work as a goaltending coach with the soccer team when he is on leave from Iraq, Reed said.