School Resource Officer

1. School Resource Officer By Sarah Winder

2. Job Description • School Resource Officer (SRO) is a law enforcement officer who is assigned to either an elementary, middle, or high school. They are responsible to provide security and crime prevention services in the school. The presence of the school resource officer is important for the safety and protection of the children on campus.

3. Goal • The main goal is to protect every child so they can reach their fullest potential • Another goal is to prevent juvenile delinquency by promoting positive reactions between youth and law enforcement. Three components to achieve this goal are, law enforcement, education, and counseling • They also want to have a better image in the eyes of the youth.

4. Requirements • 21 or older • U.S. citizen • High school graduate • Must have a background check • Have to had went through the police academy • Physically fit • Hired by the department. • Go through field training • Be good with kids • They want experienced police officers

5. Responsibilities • Their responsibilities are similar to regular police officers they can: Make arrests Respond to calls for service Document incidents that occur in their jurisdiction • However, SROs’ are not just cops at schools, they provide all law enforcement duties on their campus.

6. Responsibilities • Their duty is to mentor and conduct presentations on youth related issues • They educate the students by teaching law related classes • Counsel both students and parents on various topics • Become involved in the students’ lives as a positive role model • Provide law enforcement and police services to the school grounds and areas • Work to prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact and positive relationships with students • Help school administrators to provide safe school environment • Attend and participate in school functions • Interact with students in classroom and general areas of the school

7. Salary • The salary pay is the same as a regular police officer. It more depends on how long you have been with the department and have been a police officer.

8. History • SRO’s have existed since 1953 when Flint, Michigan documented their first resource police officer. • Earlier in a town in California, they would put the officers in their regular clothing in middle schools and elementary schools to help the relationships with department and youth.

9. Positive and Negative things People think about SROs Positive Negative • In America, school crime has gone down with instances in deaths, violence, nonfatal victimizations, and theft because of school officers • They make it so teachers and counselors don’t have to deal with the responsibilities of the SRO but other things that can help the student learn more • They cost money to fund them, they could hire a school teacher with money left over with the same amount it takes to hire a school police officer • The educators have been dealing with school issues for years and can make it a safe environment on their own.

10. NASRO • The National Association of School Resource Officers is a program dedicated to providing the highest quality of training to school-based law enforcement officers in order to promote safer schools and safer kids • A not-for-profit organization founded in 1991 for school-based law enforcement officers and school administrators. • They train law enforcement to educate, counsel, and protect school communities and promote a positive image of law enforcement to our Nation’s youth.

11. SRO video • http://www.nbc29.com/story/23352069/albermale-school-gets-school-ressource-officer-for-next-year

12. Reference • http://www.sheriffcitrus.org/students/sro.aspx • www.nasro.org • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_resource_officer • http://cte.jhu.edu/courses/ssn/sro/ses1_act4_pag1.shtml • http://www.simplyhired.com/salaries-k-school-resource-officer-jobs.html