NCJ Number
188056
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 68 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2001 Pages: 55-57,60-62,63
Editor(s)
Charles E. Higginbotham
Date Published
March 2001
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The article discusses the contributions of school resource officers (SROs), a police-school partnership making schools safer and more effective
Abstract
A safe and orderly school environment is viewed in this article as the foundation on which effective schools operate. School climates are seen as conducive to teaching and learning. School resource officers (SROs) contribute to the safety and orderly environment as on-site public safety specialists trained to provide immediate response to life-threatening situations and to ensure that laws are enforced when illegal activities occur. This article looks at SROs in three significant roles: (1) as first responder and critical incident manager; (2) as a sworn law enforcement officer; and (3) as school safety planner. SROs reinforce high expectations for success by communicating, through word and action, and clear expectations for appropriate behavior. By reducing crime and disruptive behavior, SROs contribute directly to conditions that enable principals to engage in the instructional leadership essential for student success. SROs directly support a clear school mission in at least three ways. First, they reduce the amount of time and effort school administrators and staff spend addressing illegal and disruptive behavior. Second, through classroom presentations the SRO can directly support the instructional mission. Third, SROs support the school mission by working closely with key school programs. In summary, SROs have shown to contribute not only to school safety and security but also to school effectiveness offering compelling reasons for establishing and maintaining such law enforcement and school partnerships.