SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS

ROLE OF A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS HAVE MANY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SRO’S ARE SWORN OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO A SCHOOL ON A LONG-TERM BASIS

SRO’S MUST BE TRAINED TO PERFORM THREE MAJOR ROLES:

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER LAW-RELATED COUNSELOR LAW-RELATED EDUCATOR

STATISTICS CONVEY SCHOOL CRIME AND VIOLENCE ARE NOT NECESSARILY OCCURRING IN GREATER NUMBERS

EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THE TYPES OF INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY MAY BE MORE SEVERE IN NATURE

THESE INCIDENTS HAVE SHOWN A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE EDUCATION PROCESS FOR WHICH SCHOOLS ARE RESPONSIBLE

MORE ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO THE SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHILE THEY ARE AT SCHOOL

WHAT WE KNOW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ARE INCREASINGLY DEPLOYED IN OUR SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES

THERE IS NO ONE STANDARD DEFINITION OF WHAT A SRO’S RESPONSIBILITIES ENTAIL

NASRO MISSION: “SRO’S PROVIDE A VISIBLE AND POSITIVE IMAGE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT”

“SRO’S SERVE AS A CONFIDENTIAL SOURCE OF COUNSELING TO STUDENTS CONCERNING PROBLEMS THEY FACE”

WHAT WE KNOW “SRO’S BRING EXPERTISE INTO

SCHOOLS THAT WILL HELP YOUNG PEOPLE MAKE MORE POSITIVE CHOICES IN THEIR LIVES”

“SRO’S WORK TO PROTECT THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND TO MAINTAIN AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE TEACHERS FEEL SAFE TO TEACH AND STUDENTS FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO LEARN”

WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW

THERE ARE MORE SRO’S ASSIGNED TO HIGH SCHOOLS THAN TO MIDDLE OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

A SLIGHT MAJORITY OF SRO’S ARE ASSIGNED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE TO ONLY ONE SCHOOL WHICH IS CONSIDERED BY THE OFFICER TO BE HIS OR HER BEAT

THE MAJORITY OF SRO’S ARE NOT ROOKIE POLICE OFFICERS BUT INSTEAD HAVE PUT IN STREET TIME

OFFICERS HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN ENVIRONMENTS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLS

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW 50% OF SRO’S TIME IS DEVOTED TO LAW

ENFORCEMENT DUTIES

30% OF SRO’S TIME IS SPENT ON LAW- RELATED COUNSELING/ADVISING

20% OF SRO’S TIME IS DEDICATED TO LAW-RELATED TEACHING

SRO’S WHO WORK IN HIGH SCHOOLS,

SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME CARRYING OUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ROLE

SRO’S WHO WORK IN THE MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO COMMIT MORE TIME TO THE LAW-RELATED EDUCATION ROLE

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW SRO’S TRAINING MUST BE

STRUCTURED TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE STREET

SRO’S TRAINING MUST PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO LAW- RELATED COUNSELOR/ADVISER AND LAW-RELATED EDUCATOR ROLES

SRO’S TRAINING MUST PREPARE THE OFFICER TO TEACH OR CONVEY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT KNOWLEDGE THEY BRING INTO THE SCHOOLS

PREVENTION

BE DIVERSE, REMAIN PROACTIVE AND HIGH-PROFILE

UNDERSTAND AND HAVE EMPATHY FOR THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS THEY ARE DEALING WITH

WORK HAND IN HAND WITH PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, AND A DIVERSE STAFF

HAVE AN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SURROUNDING DEPARTMENTS

FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE ACT QUICKLY TO SOLVE THE MANY

PROBLEMS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL

CONTINUALLY EVALUATE AND REFINE SCHOOL SECURITY MEASURES

HAVE A CRISIS TEAM AND PRACTICE WITH THE TEAM SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR

TRAIN…TRAIN…TRAIN !!!

BE THE FIRST CONTACT WITH ANY ACTIVE SHOOTER(S)

IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM

SHOW THIS POWER POINT

BUDGET…BUDGET…BUDGET !!!

GRANTS FROM FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCIES

OFFICER VAN A. SCOTT SR(ASSIGNED TO LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL/BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT) CITY OF BETHLEHEM POLICE DEPT.10 EAST CHURCH ST.BETHLEHEM PA 18018

OFFICERSCOTT@BETH.K12.PA.USVSCOTT@BETHLEHEM-PA.GOV