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Safety Expert and Law Enforcer

As sworn law enforcement officers, SROs play a unique role in preserving order and promoting safety on campus by, for example:

  • Assuming primary responsibility for handling calls for service from the school and in coordinating the response of other police resources
  • Addressing crime and disorder problems, gangs, and drug activities occurring in or around the school
  • Making arrests and issuing citations on campus
  • Providing leads and information to the appropriate investigative units
  • Taking action against unauthorized persons on school property
  • Serving as hall monitors, truancy enforcers, crossing guards, and operators of metal detectors and other security devices
  • Responding to off-campus criminal mischief that involves students
  • Serving as liaisons between the school and the police and providing information to students and school personnel about law enforcement matters.
Beyond serving in a crime prevention and response role, SROs are likely to serve as first responders in the event of critical incidents at schools, such as accidents, fires, explosions, and other life threatening events. In addition, SROs often support advance planning for managing crises, including assisting with:

  • Developing incident response systems
  • Developing and coordinating emergency response plans (in conjunction with other emergency responders)
  • Incorporating law enforcement onto school crisis management teams
  • Developing protocols for handling specific types of emergencies
  • Rehearsing such protocols using tabletop exercises, drills, and mock evacuations and lockdowns.