VIERA, Fla. -- Talk about the “big man on campus.” Things are looking up for the new school resource officer at a Brevard County charter school as he patrols the hallways.

Literally.

  • New Brevard SRO tallest man at Viera Charter School
  • Corporal towers over students at 6-foot-9
  • Kearns was teacher before he got into law enforcement

It all has to do with taking his relationship with students and staff to new 'heights' in keeping them safe.

Brevard County Sheriff's Office Corporal Colin Kearns is the tallest guy at Viera Charter School.

"Oh yeah, how tall are you?” -- Six-feet-nine inches, he’d say.

“How do you get so tall?”

These are some of the many questions Kearns gets from the K-8th graders.

"It's a low five for me, a high five for some of the kindergartners,” he said.

"We do have one other teacher who is almost as tall," said Principal Dr. Julie Cady. "We did say we wanted the best, and I feel we have gotten the best."

Kearns was hired as their school resource officer under new security measures now in place through the Brevard County school system and sheriff's office. And it seems the position was made for this gentle giant.

"I come from a family of teachers, so being back here is pretty awesome," Kearns said. "I used to be a teacher before I was in law enforcement."

Those law enforcement duties included being a member of the GAMEOVER task force, a specialized unit bringing in the worst of the worst criminals.

But that tough job didn't harden this officer, especially because Corporal Kearns cares so much for kids.

"I am passionate about working with children and protecting them," he told Spectrum News.

He’s literally watching over them, and five year old Isiah Peters, at their school.

We asked Isiah what they talk about.

"How tall he is," Isiah told us.

And why he thinks the officer is here as the school's first ever SRO.

"So he can keep us safe," the kindergartner said.

"Very tall order, but I'll be able to fill it, no problem," said a confident Corporal Kearns.