Deputy K’Lynn Occhipinti Named New School Resource Officer
(Moorpark, California) July 26, 2023—Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy K’Lynn Occhipinti has been named Moorpark Unified School District’s new school resource officer.
Occhipinti, a graduate of Moorpark High School, replaces fellow MHS alum Deputy Steve Donlon who was the school resource officer for two years before transferring to another assignment within the sheriff’s office.
"I feel honored to be the SRO at my alma mater," said Occhipinti, who also attended Chaparral Middle School.
"Because I’ve walked in their shoes, I want the students to know that I am there for them for pretty much anything they need, whether they have a problem or just need someone to talk to,” she said. “I’m committed to fostering positive interactions between students and law enforcement, and I’m really looking forward to this new assignment."
As MUSD’s school resource officer, Occhipinti will patrol the district’s 10 campuses and be the liaison between the Moorpark Police Department and the school community.
The role of school resource officers is multifaceted. They function as law enforcement officers, informal mentors and counselors to the students they interact with on a daily basis.
“We welcome Deputy Occhipinti to MUSD,” Superintendent Dr. Kelli Hays said. “We believe it’s so important to maintain a strong relationship with the Moorpark Police Department for the safety of our entire school community. Deputy Occhipinti will make a fantastic addition to our team, and we invite students, staff and families to introduce themselves when they see her at their school sites.”
A true local success story, Occhipinti attended Moorpark High and was a graduate of the Health and Science Academy, a Career and Technical Education pathway at the high school.
She initially planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine but eventually trained to become an emergency medical technician (EMT). Her father was a Los Angeles City firefighter.
But it was a family friend who encouraged Occhipinti to consider a career as a police officer, which led her to join the sheriff’s office at the age of 20, enrolling in the academy at 21.
Occhipinti brings a wealth of experience to her new role as SRO. She spent 2.5 years as a K-9 handler for detention services at Todd Road Jail and the Main Jail, working alongside Zoey, a black Labrador. She then served as a patrol officer in Thousand Oaks for four years and in Moorpark for the past year and a half. She is also a certified Drug Recognition Expert and an instructor for first aid/CPR for the sheriff's office.
Beyond her law enforcement career, Occhipinti is an avid equestrian. She’s been riding horses since the age of 4 and competed in the California High School Rodeo Association throughout her time at Moorpark High. It was, she said, “a huge incentive for me as a kid to do well in school and stay out of trouble.”
Occhipinti was named California High School Rodeo Queen in 2009 and Miss Moorpark a year later.
An animal lover, Occhipinti continues to compete in reined cow horse competitions. Dating back to the California Spanish vaqueros, the sport is a type of Western riding competition in which horse and rider are tested for their ability to work cattle in an arena.
Occhipinti and her husband, Nick, live in Ventura County with Elsa, their yellow Labrador, and their five horses.