| School Resource Officer |
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A School Resource Officer (SRO) program places law
enforcement officers in schools with the goal of creating and
maintaining safe, secure, and orderly learning environments for
students, teachers, and staff. With such a program, the officer
represents much more than "the cop in the shop". An SRO
program reflects a community's desire to ensure that its schools
are safe, secure, and orderly. SRO's represent a proactive
strategy designed to bring prevention and intervention into the
schools.
enforcement officers in schools with the goal of creating and
maintaining safe, secure, and orderly learning environments for
students, teachers, and staff. With such a program, the officer
represents much more than "the cop in the shop". An SRO
program reflects a community's desire to ensure that its schools
are safe, secure, and orderly. SRO's represent a proactive
strategy designed to bring prevention and intervention into the
schools.
SRO's are trained to fulfill three roles:
First and foremost, they are law enforcement officers whose
primary purpose is to "keep the peace" in their schools so that
students can learn and teachers can teach.
Second, they are law-related counselors who provide guidance
on law-related issues to students and act as a link to support
services both inside and outside the school environment.
Third, they are law-related education teachers who provide
schools with an additional educational resource by sharing their
expertise in the classroom.
Beyond these identified roles, and perhaps most importantly,
SRO's are positive role models for many students who are not
exposed to such role models in today's society. Their presence in
the schools sends a strong message that violence is not
acceptable.
First and foremost, they are law enforcement officers whose
primary purpose is to "keep the peace" in their schools so that
students can learn and teachers can teach.
Second, they are law-related counselors who provide guidance
on law-related issues to students and act as a link to support
services both inside and outside the school environment.
Third, they are law-related education teachers who provide
schools with an additional educational resource by sharing their
expertise in the classroom.
Beyond these identified roles, and perhaps most importantly,
SRO's are positive role models for many students who are not
exposed to such role models in today's society. Their presence in
the schools sends a strong message that violence is not
acceptable.
School systems and law enforcement agencies typically work
collaboratively to carry out SRO programs. On a daily basis, the
program depends on the working relationships which exist
between the SRO's and school principals. By sharing a common
vision that schools must be safe and secure for learning to take
place, the SRO's and principals become members of a team
united in making sure that learning environments are free of fear
and conducive to learning.
collaboratively to carry out SRO programs. On a daily basis, the
program depends on the working relationships which exist
between the SRO's and school principals. By sharing a common
vision that schools must be safe and secure for learning to take
place, the SRO's and principals become members of a team
united in making sure that learning environments are free of fear
and conducive to learning.
An SRO program is a "promising" strategy because it enables
communities and schools to address school violence with both
prevention and intervention techniques. Having an SRO on a
school campus can prevent problems from happening. It can
enhance a school's capacity to address its safety and security
concerns. When problems do arise, SRO's can intervene quickly
to address what is taking place. SRO's can contribute to safe
school planning efforts and offer their schools a resource to turn
to when emergencies occur. Ultimately, the presence of an SRO
assists in making the school safer and more secure for students,
teachers, and staff. The entire community benefits as well
because learning is more likely to take place in such an
environment.
communities and schools to address school violence with both
prevention and intervention techniques. Having an SRO on a
school campus can prevent problems from happening. It can
enhance a school's capacity to address its safety and security
concerns. When problems do arise, SRO's can intervene quickly
to address what is taking place. SRO's can contribute to safe
school planning efforts and offer their schools a resource to turn
to when emergencies occur. Ultimately, the presence of an SRO
assists in making the school safer and more secure for students,
teachers, and staff. The entire community benefits as well
because learning is more likely to take place in such an
environment.
