‘A wonderful person;’ Community mourns sudden death of school resource officer

Students and law enforcement officers are mourning the sudden death of a school resource officer.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 6, Joel Markowski was working as a school resource officer for the Butler County Sheriff’s Office when he died unexpectedly, collapsing without warning.

The way he connected with people is being missed across the area.

“Great guy, infectious smile, he always lit up the room,” Capt. Rich Bucheit with Butler County Sheriff’s Office said.

Bucheit said that Markowski was serving his second term with the sheriff’s office as a school resource officer at Edgewood Schools near Middletown.

“Did a great job, the kids love him, the teachers ... just a wonderful person,” he said.

Markowski also worked for the Sugarcreek Township Police Department in the past.

He was assigned as a school resource officer at Bellbrook Schools.

“He did everything the sheriff’s office asked of him, above and beyond, the sheriff is big on treating people well and he did that,” Bucheit said.

Markowski also served in the military.

But the biggest thing in Markowski’s life was his family, Bucheit said.

“Any conversation you ever had with him always went back to his family and very proud of his family and just a great guy,” he said.

Markowski also worked as an officer at Miami Valley Hospital.

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