School Based Law Enforcement Certification Course

1. School Based Law Enforcement Certification Course Officer-School Relations • This TCLEOSE approved Law Enforcement Training Curriculum is the property of CSCS-ICJS

2. Officer-School Relations Introduction • Highest levels of professionalism & integrity • Students, staff, faculty, guests right to safe environment • Pledge to help with problems of concern

3. Officer-School RelationsGeneral • Recognize & respect community • Respond to ever changing needs without bias or prejudice • Embrace integrity, public service, competence, responsibility, accountability • Expected to adhere to high ethical standards

4. Professionalism • Inappropriate relations: • Engage in deceptive practices related to school policy • Use monies, property, equipment for personal gain/ advantage • Fraudulent requests for reimbursements, expenses • Criminal Offense- Texas Penal Code

5. Professionalism Cont’d • Inappropriate Relations: • Use institutional or professional privileges for personal gain • Accept or offer gifts, favors or gratuities that impair professional judgment or obtain advantage • This should not restrict the acceptance of gifts offered by students, parents, others or those in recognition of appreciation of service • Decline gifts in a tactful manner

6. Professionalism Cont’d • Inappropriate Relations: • Falsify records or direct, coerce others to do so • Apply for, accept, offer or assign a position on the basis of professional qualifications • All SBLE officers should comply with state regulations, school board policies, state & federal laws

7. Questions & Discussion

8. Basic Duties • To protect lives & property • Enforce local, state, federal criminal laws & ordinances • Assist school officials with Board of Ed. Policies and Administrative Regulations • Investigate criminal activity

9. Basic Duties • Counsel students when requested by school administrators or parents • Answer questions about criminal or juvenile law • Assist other law enforcement officers • Provide security for special school events/functions

10. Basic Duties • Confer with principal to develop plans to prevent/minimize dangerous situations • School Emergency Operations • Look at results of last safety and security audit • Know campus inside and out

11. Basic Duties • Duties as determined by principal other than those assigned to school personnel • Abide by school board policy & applicable laws concerning interview with students/staff • Uphold laws of the state • Take law enforcement action as necessary and notify principal

12. Basic Duties • Aware of the responsibility to improve image of the SBLE officer • You are a role model • Respect from colleagues determined by respect shown to students

13. Questions & Discussion • Basic Duties

14. Professional Conduct with Principals • State laws take precedent over school administrators • Officers should not comply with orders from school officials that violate state regulations, school policy & other state, federal laws • Document & report any order that would place you in contravention of state, local, city, county ordinance

15. Professional Conduct with Principals • Some laws if failed to act upon when told by school administrator, you can still be charged and possibly indicted (Was this interpreted right?) • Principals do not have authority over state law and your lawful duties

16. Principals & Law Enforcement Officers- Catch 22 • Superintendent = Mayor; Principal = City Council Member • You do not answer to them directly; your Chief does • You answer to your Chief and law enforcement policy, while serving to protect constituents

17. Principals & Law Enforcement Officers- Catch 22 • Delicate balance of public servant, diplomat and law enforcement officer • Standards (Rules of Engagement) should be the same for every campus • Need to earn the trust and respect of campus principal

18. Principals & Law Enforcement Officers- Catch 22 • Principal & officer need to understand roles, duties and responsibilities • Those who cooperate and work together, achieve goals • We must always try and work with principals

19. Solutions • Law Enforcement Officers must understand: • Still relatively new idea having officers assigned to schools • Many times it will be a mere misunderstanding of duties, obligations & responsibilities to follow laws • Or, the fact that children too, are subject to laws of the state

20. Solutions • In the past, it was principal's job to enforce discipline on his/her campus • What children did in school was not considered to be criminal (two children fighting) • Law suits against school districts

21. Solutions • When dealing with principal, have empathy and understanding for their feelings of ultimate responsibility of campus happenings • Show them that you’re there to be an asset for maintaining order and discipline, serve & protect • Keep them informed as protocol specifies, as well as chain-of-command

22. Questions & Discussion • Professional Conduct with Principals

23. Professional Conduct with Teachers & Staff • Inappropriate Conduct: • Revealing confidential information concerning colleagues unless required by law • Engaging in or promulgating rumors of any type • Interfering with a colleague’s exercise of political, professional or citizen rights

24. Professional Conduct with Teachers & Staff • Inappropriate Conduct: • Discriminating or coercing a colleague on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability, family status • Using coercive means or promise of special treatment to influence professional decisions or people • Soliciting or engaging in sexual conduct or romantic relationship with teacher or other staff

25. Questions & Discussion • Appropriate Conduct with Teachers & Staff

26. Professional Conduct with Students • Inappropriate Conduct: • Revealing confidential info unless disclosure serves a lawful professional purpose or required by law • Maintaining student trust and confidence is important • If students trust you, they will tell you things that they will never tell another staff member

27. Professional Conduct with Students • Inappropriate Conduct: • Knowingly treating a student in a manner that adversely affects the student’s learning, health or safety • Be careful in joking and playing around • Actions could be misinterpreted or perceived the wrong way • Something like a hug could be taken out of context

28. Professional Conduct with Students • Touching some students may be offensive and/or an affront of their religious/cultural beliefs • Never show or appear to show favoritism • Never jokingly communicate “put downs” • “Are you stupid or what?” • “You are dumber than dirt!” • “Did you eat a bowl of stupid for breakfast?”

29. Professional Conduct with Students • Inappropriate Conduct: • Knowingly or deliberately misrepresenting facts concerning a student • “Johnny is a known trouble maker”--- not unless you have documentation to prove it • “I have heard that Cindy is sexually active and been with several boys.” • Excluding a student, denying benefits or granting an advantage based on ethnicity, race, sex, disability, national origin, religion or family status

30. Professional Conduct with Students • Inappropriate Conduct: • Engaging in physical mistreatment of a student • Soliciting or engaging in a sexual or romantic relationship with a student • Furnishing alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs or knowingly allowing any student to consume the above

31. Questions & Discussion • Professional Conduct with Students

32. Presenter Contact Info Institute for Criminal Justice Studies Center for Safe Communities & Schools Texas State University 350 N. Guadalupe, Suite 140, PMB 164 San Marcos, TX 78666 877-304-2727 www.cscs.txstate.edu