New officer set to patrol halls of Lawrence middle school following family legacy

LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - A familiar face is set to patrol the halls of one Lawrence middle school, following in the footsteps of his family members.

The Lawrence Police Department says the newest member of its School Resource Officer unit is a name that may be familiar to both the community and the LPD family.

When the bell rings on Wednesday, Aug. 16, LPD said students at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School will be greeted by Officer Daniel Affalter II. Officer Affalter specifically requested the assignment and comes with a long-standing family tradition of service.

“My late father retired as a captain with LKPD after 33 years of service and was an amazing role model,” Affalter said. “I hope the lessons he taught help me mentor and build trust with the students.”

LPD noted that Affalter is not the only member of his family who has followed his father’s legacy either. One of his sisters serves as a flight nurse for a specialty transport team in Kansas City while the other serves as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

“I think service to others, in some capacity, was just a part of our lives and something my dad instilled in all of us,” Affalter reminisced.

The Department indicated that the Affalter clan seems to be attracted to the quality of service in others as well. Affalter’s brother-in-law serves as a Kansas City Firefighter while his own girlfriend serves the community as a social worker.

LPD said Affalter also spent his own time in the U.S. Army between 2005 and 2012 and worked for the University of Kansas Public Safety Department before he joined the agency in 2018.

“I was born and raised in Lawrence, and I hope to be a positive influence because these young people are our city’s future,” Affalter said. “I am certain my dad would believe this is time well-focused.”

Further, the agency said Affalter will be set up in an office just two doors down from where his mother worked early in her career. She served Lawrence Public Schools USD 497 in various roles throughout her 30 years in the district. She eventually retired from Lawrence High School.

LPD noted that Affalter trained with the National Association of School Resource Officers earlier this summer and will roam the Mustang halls this school year.