SRO/School security

[EXCOP2000]

I work as a teacher at a high school now and being a former LEO they want me to serve on a committee on how we can improve school security. The school is in a city of about 50,000 and has over 1000 students but believe it or not we do not have an SRO. The superintendent of the school district apprently thinks that would be bad for the school's "image." Of course I (as most of you probably do) think that is a mistake. SRO's are common in schools these days and are no longer a sign that "something must be wrong for them to have a police officer at the school."
What I would like is any advice members could give for me too take into the meeting and propose. My own ideas are 1.) GET AN SRO!!! 2.) Maybe more cameras for videotaping activity at the school. (They currently do not have that many.) 3.) More sting operations to find drugs/weapons. (They do sweeps with dogs every so often but students are usually tipped off and miss detection, also weapons do not seem to be a problem currently) Anyway any advice would help. I only went into schools a few times when I was a cop and was never an SRO. I did work with one during my student teaching but that was at a small rural school without many problems.

[EXCOP2000]

I don't know why it has "arcade awards" at the top of my post????

[Retired Trooper]

everyone has it

[Officer Moe]

As an SRO...you can take this to your meeting if it is not too late...If there is a fight and "teachers" have to break it up, what is the schools liability if an improper restraint is used and a student is injured, or a techer is injured. Or the repercussions of "mommies little angle being manhandled by a school official." I wear shorts, and a polo with nylon gear to work during the fall and spring. The kids a very receptive to the right type of SRO. What is the schools emergency response plan for an armed intruder or a contengency plan for an armed suspect (student who can't take anymore bullying) holding a classroom hostage at gun point? That type of thing couldn't happen at Jonesboro or Columbine either ! Just something to think about.

[mcsap]

We have three FULL TIME SRO's. Two in high schools and one in a junior high. They handle the DARE duties as well as ANY type of incident iun which the police are needed on school property including thefts from lockers, accident in the parking lot, truancy to a degree, etc.

They each have a school issued cell, an office with a phone and their police portable has the school channel in it.

FYI, we had the 2 for a year or two but the 3rd was added after a junior high student shot and killed the principal in April of 2003 ( and than killed himself) .

[Seand442]

As with most organizations, the people who run it are so out of touch with what actually goes on, any idea that makes sense is not going to be politically correct in their little world. By putting an SRO in a school, it is effectively saying that this school has problems and that will fall back on the superintendent and he won't get elected next time.
In addition to enforcement, SRO's attempt to show the students, cops are not out to get them. My fiancee works at a school that has an SRO and he takes action when needed but the rest of the time he is mingling with the students and teachers.
Try to explain the liability situation to your principal or to the superintendent. It only takes 1 event where little Johnny had to be restrained and was suffocated and the s%&t will hit the fan and the district will be paying for the next 10 years. Teachers jobs are tough enough, without having to worry about trying to be a cop at the same time. Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

[LawGurl32]

I work as a CRO (equiv to a SRO but more duties). I think every school should have one. The kids are super cool. The parents are receptive to you being there. Main thing a SRO does is mentor the children (I dont have problems out of the kids in my school b/c its a private institution and it only has a small number of kids there). Dude that will be the most fun and rewarding job you will have. I absolutely love my job. :D

[Chief_Wiggum]

What's an SRO? And why does a school need a Sexy Roman Orthadondist?

[LawGurl32]

School Resource Officer

[EXCOP2000]

Thanks all for the advice. I agree Seand442, that most teachers went into teaching to actually teach and work with students instead trying to be police officers, but many times that is what is expected. Also the system needs more "alternative" schools for chronic trouble makers/juvenile criminals but the ACLU and others have a cow when you take a kid out of a "mainstream" school unless they have practically killed someone first.

[P01IC3M4N]

get their own PD. i used to work for an ISD PD. in texas, an ISD cop is the only officer with mobile jurisdiction. we had a daytime school population of 36,000. you're not looking at just students, but faculty as well.

since our SRO took over at the middle school, the school set a record recently. 7 weeks without sending anyone to alternative school.