What Are School Resource Officers?

1. What Are School Resource Officers?

2. Who is a School resource officer (SRO)? The SRO is the one assigned to a school, not only for his or her abilities to serve the public, but also for the ability to compassionately interact with adults and kids as a teacher, counselor and police officer.

3. Who am I? • Cpl Jeff Favreau aka “Officer Jeff” • SBPD Officer for 9 years • Masters in Criminal Justice • Teaches Motor Vehicle Law at Vermont Police Academy • Stationed at Rice (Sharing office with athletic trainer Megan) • Also splitting SROs duties at Tuttle Middle School • with SRO Kevin Grealis • Teaching DARE at Orchard Elementary in the spring

4. The Triad Concept Law Enforcement Officer Counselor Teacher

5. The Triad Concept The SRO should be looked at as a resource to which the school community can turn. As such, the SRO fulfills three roles by using a triad approach. The officer acts as alaw enforcement officer, an counselor, and a teacher. As a law enforcement officer, the primary purpose is to "keep the peace." As a counselor, the officer provides resource guidance to students, parents, teachers, staff, and act as a link to support services both inside and outside the school. As a teacher, the officer will share special law enforcement expertise by presentations in the classroom to promote a better understanding of our laws. Furthermore, the SRO also serves as positive role model for the students on campus during school hours and off campus at extracurricular activities. Source: TASRO – Texas Association of School Resource Officers

6. The SRO is the one who seeks out those kids in school, who are the most picked on and overlooked, so he can be the first to greet them, talk to them, and become their friend. In some cases, the SRO may even be the only adult who is a positive influence in their life.

7. The SRO is the daily presence of a uniform, badge, and gun, who will confront and deter any who interrupts the safety and security of the school and makes community oriented policing a way of life every day.

8. The SRO will also back up patrol at an accident or other incident especially when he fears one of his students may be involved. He or she also assists patrol in any juvenile related cases and investigations.

9. The SRO may not always be in his or her office at the police department to answer phone calls because he or she is in the school doing all those things that are not necessarily in the job description but make them more effective in their role.

10. The SRO is the one who is often looked at as not being a “real cop” by his fellow officers…

11. …and not a “real instructor” by some teachers, but knows he or she must try to be both.

12. The SRO is the one who takes the call from the single parent who has tried desperately to get her son up for school, he assures her he will be there to remind him why, and then takes him to school.

13. The SRO is the one in the station explaining the process to parents when their child has been arrested; because he or she is their child’s SRO and they trust him.

14. Developing a Common Vision Keeping Kids Safe

15. What I will do as an SRO… • Establish relationships with people that will be effective not efficient. • The SRO will be courteous, respectful, kind, patient, and honest. • The SRO will avoid overreactions, ego-trips, apologize for mistakes, and will not disregard or neglect interpersonal relationships.

16. So…who is an SRO? The SRO is designed to be there for the students, teachers and staff and is there to the protect the safety of those in the school. He or she does all this because of his commitment to his community and his love of kids.