School Resource Officers: Critical to School Violence Prevention

Recent horrific school violence attacks in Wisconsin, Colorado and Pennsylvania demand complete commitment to the community policing school resource officer program.

 

A school resource officer is a certified law enforcement officer assigned to provide coverage to a school or a group of schools.  The SRO must be significantly immersed in the school community and perform the roles of law enforcement, counselor and educator.  As an SRO, this individual provides leadership, vigilance and collaboration in the school community with administrators, faculty, staff, parents and students.  The presence of a SRO in a school is beneficial to the educational community because of a deterrent presence but also because an SRO is the vital link between the law enforcement agency and the youth of the community.  A SRO also allows for law enforcement to be favorably perceived by youth because the role is one that enables communication, respect and approachability.

 

Community policing and in particular, its school resource officer program is critical to preventing school violence and it demands complete dedication, appreciation and enhancement.

 

Read: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=315