School Resource Officers

About the Program

Since 1973, the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards has officially recognized the School Resource Officer Program (SRO), which is currently implemented in hundreds of agencies throughout the United States. Even though the SRO Program has only been officially recognized for the last 30 years, the Flint (Michigan) Police Department helped propel the idea of a School Resource Officer over 50 years ago. Since that time, the role of the SRO has changed dramatically for various reasons.

Creating/Implementing the Program

In 1999, the Peachtree City Police Department took an aggressive approach by implementing the School Resource Officer Program at both the middle school and high school level. During this time period, the school system in Peachtree City has seen a significant decrease in criminal activity and an increase in positive community relations. Both the high school and middle school have School Resource Officers assigned on a full-time basis.

Role as Mentors

In addition to acting as the enforcer of the law, the SRO is also looked upon as a mentor by students. This close interaction with students helps to create more positive attitudes towards police officers in general. In the eyes of the administrators, the SRO should strive to serve as an enforcer of the law, a teacher and a counselor. This type of modern day approach is known as the Triad Approach and many police agencies have worked hard at placing those Officers in the schools with such ability.

A former DARE graduate asked the SROs to do this for him. It went great. Please watch.

Working at a School

Through out the year the police department works in conjunction with school administrators to ensure that the school remains a safe environment for learning.

An SRO must be willing to learn and remain creative in trying to reach the students in their school. The desire to help students is the number one goal in the Peachtree City Police Departments SRO Program and all other actions are measured against this very concept.