School Resource Officers

SRO Program Goals

The School Resource Officer program is designed to put a uniformed police officer in the school setting with the following goals:

• To provide students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to meet and interact with a police officer in a non-confrontational setting. Many people, especially our young people, do not often get the chance to learn about who the officers are "behind the badge." This program provides the opportunity for the officer to serve as a role model as well as a resource and a mentor to students who have questions or needs that the officer can assist with.
• To act as a deterrent to crime in the school building, on the school campus, and in the community surrounding the school not only through the uniformed presence but also by developing positive relationships with students, faculty and staff, and community members.
• To provide classroom instruction and other information to students, faculty, and staff concerning the law, personal rights and responsibilities, and other law-enforcement-related topics.
• To provide for the safety and security of the school's students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

The presence of the School Resource Officer (S.R.O.) on campus provides for a faster police response to incidents requiring police involvement, such as emergencies, criminal investigations, and, when necessary, arrests. When such incidents occur, the S.R.O. will also be better prepared to deal with them based on his or her familiarity with the school community and its daily operations.