School Resource Officers: Balancing Safety and Controversy in Education

Last year, the Chicago Board of Education voted to terminate its contract with the Chicago Police Department (CPD), which provided school resource officers (SROs) at nearly 40 high schools within the district. Chicago joined around 70 school districts nationally that have adopted new policies removing law enforcement from schools. Chicago opponents of the CPD SRO program claim it was leading to higher rates of discrimination against students of color and students entering the criminal justice system rather than the principal’s office. Studies on this topic are not conclusive as to whether the presence of school resource officers increases safety at schools. The concern around school shootings is top of mind for both school administrators and parents, Always check your state and local laws when considering SRO changes. For instance, Florida enacted specific regulations around school safety after the Parkland event.

“The best choice is to work with everyone involved to find the right fit for a school district, including the community, school administration and the local police,” said Sara Gibson, Senior Risk Control Manager at Safety National. “If the choice is to have an SRO from the local police or sheriff’s office, the National Association of School Resource Officer Program Recommendations (NASRO) is a great reference.”

Here are some recommendations from NASRO to follow.

• Hiring should be a collaborative effort between the school district and SRO. The candidate should have at least three years of law enforcement experience, demonstrate their willingness to work with youth to engage in positive relationships, and have excellent communication skills, both written and spoken, with a variety of audiences.
• Training recommended by NASRO is a Triad Model with components of law enforcement, public safety educator, and informal counselor/mentor. They also recommend Adolescent Mental Health training and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) training approximately one year after the basic course. Adolescent Mental Health training is designed to help an SRO understand adolescent brain development, behavioral health conditions, best practices for crisis intervention and de-escalation, and the role of families and resources in supporting these students. CPTED courses use design, management, and activity strategies to reduce crime and fear and improve school security.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should be established with the law enforcement agency and school district to outline goals, roles, responsibilities, and a method for evaluating the program’s success in meeting the identified goals. This document should also define the student’s rights and how disciplinary actions will be conducted.
• Communication with the community should be constant to build a collaborative feedback process, which in turn builds trust. A community that understands and supports an SRO can help proactively protect the needs of students and beyond. As noted, an SRO’s communication skills should be evaluated during the hiring process so that there is awareness of their ability to present information in different formats depending on the audience. This adaptability allows a tailored approach to various groups in the community.