Findings of this study on school resource officers’ (SROs) effectiveness suggest a need to articulate roles and to acknowledge multiple, overlapping roles.
Findings of this study on the effectiveness of school resource officers (SROs) suggest a need to articulate expected SRO roles and recognize SROs often play multiple, overlapping roles to support a safe environment for student learning. Although research on the effectiveness of SROs remains mixed, the number of SROs in the U.S. continues to grow. The authors interviewed 18 SROs, SRO supervisors, and school leaders from exemplar programs to explore SRO role perceptions. Analysis revealed three themes: (1) SROs support a safe learning environment via multiple roles; (2) common SRO roles are law enforcer, educator, community liaison, and emergency manager; and (3) additional roles are site-specific.