SRO Program Guide

1

A Guide to Developing,

Maintaining, and Succeeding With Your

TEACHING

COUNSELING

ENFORCEMENT

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

COPS COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Practices From

the Field for Law

Enforcement

and School

Administration

School Resource 

Officer Program

Prepared by

Peter Finn

Meg Townsend

Michael Shively

Tom Rich

A Guide to Developing,

Maintaining, and Succeeding With Your

School Resource 

Officer Program Practices From the Field for Law Enforcement

and School Administration

This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement #2003-HS-WX-K041 by the U.S.

Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing. Points of view or opinion

contained in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the

official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

COPS COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Prepared by

Peter Finn

Meg Townsend

Michael Shively

Tom Rich

SRO Program Guide i

Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Background to the Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Study Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Limitations to the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Organization of the Report/Site Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Appendix A: How the Nine Programs Were Selected for Site Visits . . . . . . . . . . .29

Appendix B: The 19 National Assessment Sites and How They Were Chosen . .30

Chapter 2 Recruiting SROs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Approaches to Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Neutralizing Disincentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Appendix: SRO Position Announcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Chapter 3 Screening SROs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Screening Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

The Screening Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Case Study: Garner, North Carolina, Police Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Appendix A: SRO Oral Interview Rater’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Appendix B: Guidelines for Scoring Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Chapter 4 Minimizing Turnover among SROs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Methods of Keeping Effective SROs on the Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Dealing With Mandatory Turnover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Chapter 5 Training SROs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Importance of Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Topics Pre-Service Training Needs to Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

How to Apply Juvenile Law and Case Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Approaches to Pre-Service Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

In-Service Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Case Study: Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Case Study: Fontana, California, Police Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

Case Study: Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police Department . . .133

Appendix A: SRO Field Training Policies and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

Appendix B: SRO Field Training General Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Appendix C: SRO Field Training and Supervisor Observation Report . . . . . . . . .142
Chapter 6 Supervising SROs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

The Need for Close Supervision Despite Obstacles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Approaches to Effective Supervision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Supervisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Case Study: Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Case Study: Palm Beach County School District Police Department . . . . . . . . . .175

Appendix A: SRO Performance Rating Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

Appendix B: SRO Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Appendix C: SRO Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Appendix D: Statistics for One High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Appendix E: Statistics for Schools Countrywide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189

Appendix F: Bi-Weekly Activity Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Chapter 7 Identifying Sources of Program Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Who Pays for the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

How to Find the Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197

Case Study: Fontana, California, Police Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Office Program . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

Chapter 8 Maintaining Program Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209

How to Motivate Law Enforcement Agencies to Maintain Funding . . . . . . . . . . . .209

How to Motivate the Schools to Contribute (More) Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

How to Motivate Public Officials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223

What Motivates Everybody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226

Case Study: Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235

Case Study: Sarasota County (Florida) Sheriff's Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238

Case Study: Schaumburg, Illinois, School District 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

Case Study: Stark County, Ohio, Sheriff's Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244

Appendix A: Reported Incidents at One Junior High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Appendix B: Survey of Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248

Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

ii SRO Program Guide
SRO Program Guide 1

Supported by Cooperative Agreement #2003-HS-WX-K041 by the U.S. Department

of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), Abt

Associates Inc. conducted a study of seven components of School Resource

Officer (SRO) program operations that many programs have experienced difficulty

addressing:

• recruiting SROs,

• screening SROs,

• retaining SROs,

• training SROs,

• supervising SROs,

• identifying sources of program funding, and 

• maintaining program funding.

Information for the report comes principally from in-depth interviews with program

supervisors, SROs, law enforcement administrators, school administrators, school

board members, and local government officials conducted during site visits to 28

well-regarded programs. Additional information, was obtained from follow-up

telephone calls to program participants and a review of program materials.

The report has been written for:

• first-line SRO program supervisors;

• police and sheriff's department administrators interested in improving their SRO

programs; 

• school administrators with SRO programs already in their schools; and 

• law enforcement and school district personnel considering starting an SRO

program.

Executive Summary
2 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

Chapter 1 Introduction

Many SRO programs have experienced difficulty recruiting, screening, retaining,

training, and supervising SROs. Many programs have also had problems 

maintaining funding over time. This report documents promising methods that 

selected SRO programs have used to address these potential problem areas of SRO

program operations. The information in the report is intended to enable other SRO

programs—and jurisdictions that are thinking of starting SRO programs—to benefit

from the experiences of these selected programs by adopting or adapting

some of their approaches to solving obstacles in these seven areas.

The chapter summaries below present the policy recommendations from each

chapter. However, the summaries omit the detailed examples of how specific

programs have implemented the recommendations that the individual 

chapters—and the case studies that follow most of the chapters—provide. As a

result, while readers will find the executive summary a useful "road map" of how to

address each of the seven problem areas the report focuses on, only by reading the

chapters and case studies can readers find out about the specific steps 

well-regarded programs have actually taken for addressing these stumbling

blocks to success. In short, the full text of the chapters lends credibility to the

recommendations in the executive summary as well as provides the particulars about

how to go about putting the recommendations into practice. 

Chapter 2 Recruiting SROs

In order to recruit the best possible candidates—and have an adequate pool of

applicants from which to choose—make sure that all eligible officers and deputies in

the agency learn about the position and are aware not only of its attractions but also

its drawbacks.

Follow Three Basic Guidelines

Information from the program studied suggests three principal guidelines for 

recruiting SROs:

(1) Do not assign officers involuntarily to be SROs; solicit volunteers for the 

position. Program participants report that allowing officers to volunteer to 

serve as SROs results in a higher level of commitment to the program.
SRO Program Guide 3

(2) Use more than one approach for posting the assignment, such as:

• e-mail;

• mailboxes;

• roll call;

• bulletin boards; 

• open houses and trainings; and

• personal invitations.

(3) Provide information about the position and screening process with the 

posting, including:

• eligibility criteria; 

• attractive features of the position;

• the screening process; and

• important features of the job.

Consider Using Incentives to Attract Candidates

To attract the most qualified candidates and to get a large enough pool of

candidates, highlight the incentives inherent in the position, such as being able

to:

• have weekends and holidays off, and 

work only days;

• work with kids;

• be able to make a difference in the lives of

students; 

• have some independence from close supervision; and

• experience new and challenging work.

The program in Garner, North

Carolina, provides candidates who

qualify as SROs—but were

outscored by other applicants—with

their final screening results, as well

as an analysis of their performance

and strategies, so they can improve

their scores if they reapply.

SRO José Cuellar with the Palm Beach

County, Florida, School District Police

Department said, "I've always been 

interested in working with kids because

of the opportunity to save some along

the way. On the street, it's a revolving

door—the same drunks and prostitutes.

In school, you can save a few kids."
Consider offering additional incentives,

including:

• take-home cruisers; 

• extra pay; and

• improved promotional opportunities.

Neutralize Real and Perceived Disincentives to the Posting

At the same time, take steps to neutralize the

disincentives to the position that may discourage some

officers from applying, such as:

• having to teach (tell them you will train them to teach);

• being seen as a "Kiddie Cop" (explain how many arrests

SROs make, sometimes for serious offenses; reassign them to patrol duty in the

summer);

• being confined to a campus (explain that SROs have responsibilities outside the

schools and, while in school, experience a tremendous amount of diverse 

stimulation);

• working after hours (arrange for long summer breaks); and

• isolation from the department (keep SROs involved in the agency).

In summary, address disincentives in three ways:

(1) When the disincentive reflects a misconception, spread the truth about 

the program.

(2) When the disincentive is real but modifiable, change it. 

(3) When the disincentive is indisputable and unalterable, offset the drawbacks to the position by compensating for them and by publicizing the 

position's significant attractive features. 

4 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

The Maury County,

Tennessee, Sheriff's

Department allows

SROs to build up "comp"

time and then take off

July and half of August.

The Tucson Police Department

found that providing a five 

percent increase in SRO base

pay and giving SROs takehome cruisers increased the

program's applicant pool.
Chapter 3 Screening SROs

As with many occupations, the qualifications and the personality of the SRO are

likely to make or break the program. As a result, many program participants

suggest that the single most important component of an SRO program may be

implementing an effective process for screening candidates for the position.

Develop and Apply Formal Screening Criteria

Begin by establishing written criteria for selecting candidates. Review and refine

four essential characteristics and experience that SROs, program supervisors,

and school administrators say any officer should have in order to be considered for

the position:

• likes kids, wants to work with kids, and is able to work with kids;

• has the right demeanor and "people skills," including being

– calm,

– approachable,

– able to put up gracefully with guff from kids, and

– patient;

• has experience as a patrol officer or road deputy; and

• has above average integrity.

There are four other criteria that, if candidates cannot meet them before they are

assigned to the schools, programs can—and must—teach or instill in them shortly

after the officers have been appointed:

• willingness to work very hard; 

• exceptional dependability;

• teaching ability; and

• ability to work independently.

SRO Program Guide 5

Sergeant Paul Marchand, the

program supervisor with the

Salem, New Hampshire,

Police Department, warns that

"SROs are a special breed;

you have to take lot of guff.

You need a temperament that

doesn't get easily fired up and

has patience."

According to Sergeant

Richard Davies, supervisor of

the Pine Bluff, Arkansas,

program, "Applicants have to

have an above average

attendance record—SROs

have to be in school."
Consider giving "extra points" to candidates who are familiar with juvenile law, write

excellent reports, have some college experience, or have ties to the local 

community (for example, went to school there).

Implement a Thorough Screening Process

Programs that have been able to assign SROs who function well in the position and

remain in it happily for several years have generally used multiple screening

procedures, such as the following:

• require a memorandum of interest or letter and identify specific topics applicants

must address (e.g., experience working with youth);

• talk with current and previous supervisors about the

applicant's suitability (is the person dependable?);

• inform candidates candidly about the job

requirements—and drawbacks (to weed out

inappropriate officers);

• examine personnel files (e.g., for disciplinary history);

• factor in personal experience with the candidate; and 

• check for signs of enthusiasm for the position.

Consider assembling an oral interview panel. Oral boards offer significant 

benefits over one-on-one interviews for assessing candidates, including 

examining candidates under stress, assessing their communication skills, and

checking "body language." In using an oral interview panel, consider carefully:

• who sits on the panel (include at least one school district representative);

• what questions panel members will ask (e.g., is the candidate willing to work

overtime? what strategies would he or she use for handling difficult school 

administrators?);

• requiring candidates to respond to hypothetical—or real—situations in the

schools that are problematic for SROs (e.g., a student says there are drugs in

another student's locker—what do you do?); 

• "body language" and what it might indicate about a candidate; and 

• how to rate or score the candidate's performance.

6 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

Lieutenant Greg Harrison with the

Lenoir County, North Carolina,

Sheriff's Office, reported that

"patrol deputies think the SRO

assignment is 'a piece of cake'

and are surprised when I tell

them what they will have to do in

the schools—which often

dissuades them from applying."
Involve school administrators in the screening

process. Program participants consistently report

that including principals and assistant principals in

the process helps match SROs properly with

individual schools and increases acceptance of the

program and the SROs among school personnel.

The most common way of involving school

administrators is through participation on oral

interview panels. 

Implement several screening methods. Most screening approaches are not

redundant—rather, they complement one another. Individually, each one can reveal

only certain things about a candidate; taken together, they improve the chances of

learning as much as possible about an applicant.

Chapter 4 Minimizing Turnover Among SROs 

Many programs have problems with turnover among SROs. Minimizing turnover is

important because replacing an SRO makes the program less effective for 

several months and even years as the new officer learns how to do the job, comes

to understand the school's culture and operations, and builds trust among school

administrators, faculty, and students. 

Become familiar with the many problems that can contribute to turnover—even among

SROs who are performing well—and become knowledgeable about how to solve

them.

Problem: Being unsuitable as SROs from the beginning

Solutions: Recruit, screen, train, and supervise SROs carefully.

Problem: Conflict with school administrators

Solution: Work with the SRO—and with administrators—to solve the 

problem. 

• involve school administrators in the SRO selection process

• orient new SROs to working with principals and assistant principals

• meet with administrators before problems develop

• define each party's responsibilities in writing

• if all else fails, allow SROs to 

transfer to another school 

SRO Program Guide 7

Sergeant Patricia Heffner, who supervises

the Lakewood, Colorado, Police

Department's program, admitted that the

police department had originally not been

keen on involving school personnel in the

screening process but sees the value now.

"By participating, the school administrators

are 'buying' into their SRO—and they have

less room to complain if it does not end up

working out."
Problem: Feeling isolated from the rest of the department

Solution: Take steps to keep SROs integrated with the rest of the 

department.

• encourage or require SROs to go back to 

patrol during the summer

• require SROs to attend roll call at least 

periodically

• involve SROs in departmentwide training

• encourage SROs to take the initiative to remain in touch with other 

officers

• single out effective SROs for department 

wide commendation

Problem: Perception of the position as a dead end

Solution: Turn the position into an asset for gaining promotion.

Problem: Lack of excitement

Solution: Introduce strategies to keep the job stimulating. 

• allow SROs to remain—or become—members of other units—for 

example, the SWAT team

• give SROs new, rewarding, and challenging assignments (one 

program assigned a program supervisor and an SRO to work with 

county architects to ensure student safety in the design of new 

school buildings)

• encourage SROs to seek out interesting challenges on their own 

(e.g., conduct school safety surveys and report weaknesses to 

school administrators; start a Youth Crime Watch program) 

• send SROs for training and other forms of professional development

Problem: Too much teaching

Solutions: Train SROs in how to be effective teachers and, when necessary, 

encourage them to reduce the amount of time they are spending 

in the classroom.

8 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

Program supervisors in the

Chula Vista, California, Police

Department require SROs to

go to the day shift patrol roll

call every Wednesday morning

to help them stay involved with

the department.
Problem: Burnout

Solution: Help SROs to reduce their workload.

• provide strategic breaks from work 

• give SROs preferred summer 

assignments

• determine ways of lightening their workload (e.g., cover fewer afterschool events)

Problem: Losing SROs to mandatory rotation 

Solution: Make exceptions to the policy for SROs who are performing well 

and want to remain in the schools.

Program supervisors and SROS alike report that the most effective approach to

reducing turnover is to implement a number of complementary steps designed

to keep the officers satisfied with the position and to provide an early warning

of any discontent.

Chapter 5 Training SROs

SROs need training before and after they go into the schools.

Provide Pre-Service Training

While SROs can learn or hone certain skills only on the job,

training new SROs before they go on the job is essential so that SROs do not: 

• avoid certain responsibilities (e.g., teaching) and

• perform poorly or make serious mistakes that can set back their relationships with

students and school administrators for months.

Identify Topics that Pre-Service Training Needs to Address

Typically, before they go into the schools SROs need to be trained to:

• teach;

• mentor and counsel;

• work collaboratively with school administrators;

• manage their time; and

• apply juvenile statutes and case law.

SRO Program Guide 9

A former SRO and current

program supervisor said,

"They [the department] put

the SROs in the schools

the first year with no formal

training, so the first year

was not productive."

Sergeant Richard Davies, program

supervisor in Pine Bluff, Arkansas,

pointed out, "You can't go into class

and look stupid, so you need to

develop basic lesson plans to show to

the principal so you can cover yourself

and so you won't fumble in class."

The Boone, North Carolina,

Police Department trained two

patrol officers as half-time

back-ups to the single SRO in

the department.
In addition, consider training new SROs in child development and psychology;

handling especially difficult students; the policies, procedures, and culture of the

schools to which they will be assigned; and the preparation of safe school plans.

Find Ways of Providing Timely Training

When basic SRO training courses are not available from national training

organizations before new SROs go into the schools, explore other means of

providing training.

• Delay sending SROs into the schools until training is available.

• Seek timely training from other professional organizations, such as State agencies,

technical schools, schools of criminal justice, and State SRO associations.

• Develop in-house training expertise.

• Send SROs to the general instructors' school at the training

academy or for Gang Resistance Education and Training

(G.R.E.A.T.) certification.

• Provide in-house orientation on SRO roles and

responsibilities. 

Arrange for New SROs to Shadow Experienced SROs

Require every new SRO to spend at least several days shadowing an experienced

SRO. If there are no other SROs in the program, arrange for new SROs to shadow

experienced SROs in another community. Consider providing formal field training by

field training officers, using checklists of what the new SROs need to learn and formal

written evaluations of their progress.

Two Final—but Important—Guidelines

• Implement as many pre-service training

approaches as possible, in particular, thorough

orientation to the program and shadowing

experienced SROs, because the various training

strategies are not mutually exclusive but rather

complement one another. 

• Involve school administrators in the training. 

10 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

The Scottsdale, Arizona,

Police Department,

arranged for two SROs

to become certified

SRO instructors so they

can train new SROs at

almost any time.

Because his program was brand

new, Robert Yant, the Marshall,

Minnesota, chief of police, sent his

first SRO to Sioux Falls, South

Dakota, to shadow that jurisdiction's

experienced SRO. According to Jim

Marshall, the new SRO, "The

experience was invaluable."
Provide In-Service Training

Provide in-service training on issues of importance to SROs and school 

administrators to: 

• upgrade their skills and knowledge;

• demonstrate that the position is an important one that the department values; and 

• reduce department liability. 

Offer SROs—or require them to take advantage of:

• regular program meetings at which supervisors or

outside experts give presentations;

• semi-annual and annual training updates; and

• periodic off-site conferences and courses (often free

or inexpensive). 

Chapter 6 Supervising SROS

Despite the misperception by a few programs that careful supervision of SROs is not

necessary, most program supervisors recognize the need to monitor their SROs

conscientiously. 

Exercise Careful Supervision Despite Obstacles 

Many program supervisors report that supervising SROs properly can be difficult if: 

• supervisors lack time because of other department commitments; and

• there are long distances between schools or a large number of participating

schools.

Despite these barriers, find ways to adequately supervise SROs in order to: 

• obtain information from SROs and school 

administrators that may point to a possible 

problem before it develops;

• identify signs of poor performance before school administrators have to bring it to

the supervisor's attention;

SRO Program Guide 11

The Maury County program in

Tennessee sends all its SROs

every summer to the

Tennessee School Resource

Officers Association week-long

conference.
• show SROs that the department values their work

and they have its support;

• identify disaffection and burnout early to minimize

turnover; and

• demonstrate to school administrators that the

agency considers the program an important

collaborative initiative.

Even when programs assign independent, mature officers as SROs, do not assume

they need little supervision. In addition, do not wait for school administrators to

bring problems with SROs to the program's attention.

Develop a Plan for Supervising SRO Performance

Effective supervision of SROs depends on a clear understanding among program

participants of the officers' roles and responsibilities—typically spelled out in a

memorandum of agreement or contract between the parties. Otherwise, 

supervisors do not know what they are supposed to be evaluating in the officers'

behavior. In addition:

• do not rely on the evaluation criteria used for patrol officers; instead, tailor the 

evaluation criteria to what SROs do; and 

• involve school administrators in the SROs' performance review—they have 

considerably more contact with the officers than do agency supervisors and, as a

collaborative initiative, they should be involved anyway.

Implement Several Supervisory Approaches

Program participants suggest that no single method of supervision will be adequate;

instead, they recommend implementing as many of the following methods as

possible:

• review SRO activity logs on a regular basis;

• review SRO case or arrest reports;

• host regular meetings with SROs as a group;

• visit the school campus;

• maintain telephone or radio communication;

12 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

In a county in which supervisors

trusted the SROs to be in their

schools (and assumed 

administrators would call them if they

were not), one SRO was regularly

leaving school for a tryst. The

discovery created very bad publicity

for the department.

After a lewd and indecent incident at

a school in Sarasota County, Florida,

the SRO documented in his log that

he had submitted a report to the

school. According to the SRO,

"When Captain [Tim] Carney [the

supervisor] read my log, he wanted

to know why I hadn't submitted a

police report."
• survey students; 

• survey teachers; and 

• formally evaluate SRO performance, preferably at least twice a year.

Select the Supervisors Carefully

In addition to arranging for supervisors to spend enough time monitoring the SROs

effectively, select supervisors who are qualified to monitor SRO performance, or else

train them in how to supervise SROs. Try to select former SROs as supervisors.

Chapter 7 Identifying Sources of Program Funding

At one time, many law enforcement agencies provided all or most of the funding for

SRO programs (often through grants from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of

Community Oriented Policing Services). However, as Federal grants have expired

and as agencies have experienced funding cutbacks, many agencies have

increasingly been forced to seek alternative funding sources in order to

maintain their programs.

Develop a Realistic Estimate of Program Costs

An important first decision in making or changing arrangements for funding a 

program is to get a firm grasp of how much the program actually costs. Costs can

vary significantly depending on such considerations as SRO salary levels, fringe

benefits, and stipends; time spent on the program by supervisors; and 

miscellaneous costs such as training, overtime pay, and equipment.

Work With the School District to Share the Program's Costs

Negotiate—and renegotiate as needed—each party's

share of the costs. By splitting the cost, neither side

feels imposed on, and the cost to each party is

considerably reduced. For example, if the school

district pays for half of each SRO's nine months of duty

in the schools, the law enforcement agency in effect

gains an officer for about half price.

Furthermore, as explained in chapter 8, "Maintaining

Program Funding," school district administrators (who typically present a budget to

the school board for approval) often feel the program is so beneficial—and that

cutting it back or dropping it would be so politically risky—that they are willing to find

ways to increase their contribution.

SRO Program Guide 13

Because of budget cuts to the

agency, the Stark County, Ohio,

sheriff told the five school districts

that he would have to recall their

SROs unless the school districts

agreed to pay for most of the

officers' salaries. Four of the five

school districts came up with the

funds.
Be Prepared to Find New Sources of Funding 

Explore getting additional support especially from local

government (city council, mayor, county

commissioners). Look into obtaining funding from the

Federal Government, businesses, charities, and

foundations, and through fund-raising events.

Chapter 8 Maintaining Program Funding

Some agencies believe that, if they run a good program, its funding will never dry up.

Certainly, having an excellent program is the first—and essential—step in

ensuring program survival. However, even many well-run programs have sooner

or later experienced the threat—and even the reality—of cutbacks or dissolution. As a

result, constantly take steps to ensure that your sources of funding maintain a

strong interest in seeing the program continue. This requires doing three things:

1. Ensure that every funding source gains something important from the 

program. 

2. Make every funding source aware of the program's activities and 

achievements.

3. Identify possible new funding sources and court them.

This chapter addresses the first two of these necessities for program survival; chapter

7, "Identifying Sources of Program Funding," addresses the third requirement. 

Motivate the Law Enforcement Agency to Maintain Funding

Document the significant benefits the program can provide law enforcement

agencies.

• Prove how the program reduces the burden

on patrol officers or road deputies.

– Compare how many 911 and 

non-emergency calls for service the 

schools made before the SROs went 

into the schools with how many are 

made today. 

– Estimate how many hours the calls would have taken a patrol officer out of 

service compared with the time the SROs spend in the schools. 

• Show how the program has improved the image of the police among juveniles.

14 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

Captain Mike Rogers of the West

Orange Police Department asked the

city council for additional funding for

the program. By cutting recreation

and library expenses, as well as

public works, the council was able to

approve the increase.

According to Sergeant Paul Marchand, the

program supervisor in Salem, New Hampshire,

"We pay for the program because, by assigning

officers to the schools, we free up officers on the

street. Before we had SROs, we were constantly

sending patrol officers to the schools. It makes

sense from a deployment point of view to have

officers in the schools rather than send over patrol

officers whenever there is a problem."
• Document how the program has improved the law enforcement agency's

relationship with the school district and why this matters. For example, it can

improve collaboration in addressing juvenile crime and truancy. 

• Document how the program benefits the chief or sheriff politically—for example,

improving a chief's chances of reappointment or sheriff's chances of reelection. 

Motivate School Districts to Contribute (More) Funding to the Program

Support from school administrators and school board members has been

crucial to keeping many programs afloat. But program supervisors must often

document and explain how the program provides the

schools with significant benefits.

• Document how the program has increased

safety—and the feeling of safety—in the schools.

– Calculate how many violent incidents SROs 

have handled—and prevented.

– Work with the schools to survey students and teachers about how much safer 

they feel with an SRO in the schools.

• Document the number of incidents SROs handle that would have required calling

the dispatcher and compare the estimated time of

response. 

• Compare truancy rates at schools before and after SROs

were placed in them. 

• Go the extra mile for school officials.

– Agree to reasonable requests for help even if they are 

outside the contract scope of work. 

– Arrange for SROs, rather than other officers or deputies, to provide security at 

after-school events. 

– As much as possible, avoid pulling SROs out of the schools when classes are in 

session. 

– Involve school administrators in program operations, including screening 

candidates (see chapter 3, "Screening SROs") and evaluating SRO performance 

(see chapter 6, "Supervising SROs").

SRO Program Guide 15

According to Al Weidner, budget director for the

Sarasota County, Florida, school board, "I

have never turned down funding for the

program ... because schools say they don't

know how they would function without it. I want

to make sure we could not be spending the

money on something else and getting a better

return on our investment, but principals go out

of their way to single out the program to me."

After SROs in Stark County, Ohio,

targeted the problem of truancy by

counseling truant students, meeting with

their parents or guardians, and, in some

cases, performing home visits,

graduation rates for all five districts

began to improve markedly.
Motivate Public Officials

Typically, local public officials decide on the funding for the program either directly or

by approving—or adding to—the law enforcement agency's and school district's

budgets. Programs have been able to secure the support of mayors, town council

members, city managers, and other local officials by making the program too

attractive to cut—and too politically risky to drop—because of its ability to protect

students. Program participants report that one of the best ways to convince public

officials of the program's effectiveness in enhancing student safety is by developing

empirical evidence that it works. 

• Examine statistical data to prove what the program has accomplished by way of

reducing crime in the schools, truancy, and discipline rates.

• Conduct surveys of students, school

administrators, and parents to help 

convince funding sources to continue their

support—or face the community's wrath.

• Require SROs to document their activities

to show how productive they are.

• Promote personal experience with the

program—invite school board members to

shadow an SRO; ask the superintendent to

sit in on a class taught by an SRO.

16 SRO Program Guide

Executive Summary

An evaluation of the Delaware State Police

program commissioned by the State Department

of Education in 1998 found that schools that

never had an SRO had a statistically significant

increase in the number of police charges in

1997-98 compared with 1994-95, while there

was no significant increase in schools with

SROs. The Department of Education used the

findings to support continued and expanded

funding of the program by both the legislature

and school districts.
Supported by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services (COPS Office), Abt Associates Inc. conducted a study of seven

areas in which many School Resource Officer (SRO) programs have struggled:

• recruitment,

• screening, 

• retention,

• training, 

• supervision, 

• identifying sources of program funding, and 

• maintaining program funding.

The report has been written for:

• first-line SRO program supervisors; 

• police and sheriff's department administrators interested in improving their

SRO programs;

• school district administrators concerned that the SROs in their schools meet

their goals for the program; and

• law enforcement and school district personnel considering starting an SRO

program.

Background to the Report

During site visits to 19 SRO programs as part of a National Assessment of School

Resource Office Programs that Abt Associates Inc. completed in 2004 for the

National Institute of Justice (NIJ), project staff learned that many SRO program

supervisors and coordinators have experienced problems—and often continue to

have difficulty—with the seven areas of programming identified above. Reports

prepared by the COPS Office, the National Association of School Resource Officers

(NASRO), and the North Carolina Center for the Prevention of School Violence

have also concluded that many SRO programs experience difficulty in one or more

of these seven areas of program operations. 

As a result, the COPS Office awarded a cooperative agreement to Abt Associates

to document the approaches a number of respected SRO programs have used to

address each of these troublesome areas of program operations. The information

in the report is intended to enable other SRO programs—and jurisdictions that are

considering starting SRO programs—to benefit from the experiences of these

selected programs by adopting, adapting, or improving on their approaches. 

SRO Program Guide 17

Chapter 1: Introduction
Study Methodology

We obtained information for the report from 34 programs.1

(1) We collected data on the seven focuses of the report during site visits to 

nine SRO programs selected at the recommendation of experts and based 

on screening calls to the program coordinators (see the box "Selected 

Features of the Nine Sites" and appendix A, "How the Nine Programs Were 

Chosen"). 

(2) As part of the process of selecting the 9 sites to visit, we screened 23

programs. The report incorporates information from 6 of the sites that did 

not make the "cut" for a site visit (see appendix A for the names of these 

sites).

(3) We used information we had collected previously in these topic areas as 

part of the above-mentioned National Assessment of SRO Programs con

ducted for NIJ that addressed all facets of SRO programming (see appendix 

B, "The 19 National Assessment Sites and How They Were Chosen"). 

(4) We obtained additional, in-depth information from the 19 National 

Assessment programs related to the present project's seven areas of 

interest during telephone calls with three to six program participants at each 

site.

18 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction

1The report also provides information about a few other programs based on newspaper accounts,

conversations with SROs and SRO program supervisors at conferences, and comments on the report by

three anonymous reviewers.
SRO Program Guide 19

Location and Sponsor

Delaware

State Police

Fontana, California,

Police Department

King County, Washington,

Sheriff's Office

Marshall, Minnesota,

Police Department

Maury County, Tennessee,

Sheriff's Department

Olympia, Washington,

Police Department

Palm Beach County, Florida,

School District Police

Department

Salem, New Hampshire,

Police Department

Sarasota County, Florida,

Sheriff's Office

Population

600,000

150,000

1.7 million

13,000

70,000

42,000

1.2 million

40,000

400,000

Square

Miles

2,000

38

2,126

7

613

15

2,200

36

580

Number of

Schools

Served

29

8

9

3

19

17

165

2

36

Number of

Full-Time

SROs

25

8

9

1

20

3

130

2

27

Date

Program

Began

1994

1994

1995

1999

1998

1999

1978

1995

1980

Selected Features of the Nine Sites Visited Expressly to Examine the Seven

Study Focuses
Limitations to the Study

The report does not purport to present how the "typical" SRO program or a random

sample of programs has addressed the seven program components. Instead, our

goal was to include a variety of programs that appeared to have made a substantial

commitment to addressing one or more of these problem areas so that other

programs could benefit from their experience. There are, of course, many other

SRO programs not included in the report that have also addressed these problem

areas creatively and thoroughly. Resource limitations prevented us from including

all of them in the study.

Despite this limitation, the study includes a range of different types of SRO

programs, including programs that:

• serve single jurisdictions and multiple jurisdictions (e.g., two or more counties, an

entire State);

• serve jurisdictions with small and large populations and few and many schools;

• serve a single school district and multiple school districts;

• are sponsored by police departments, sheriff's offices, a State police department,

and one or more school districts;

• serve one or more high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, or

combinations of grade levels;

• involve a single SRO, several SROs, and many SROs;

• make a single SRO responsible for a single school or for multiple schools, or

place more than one SRO in a school; and 

• involve small, medium-sized, and large law enforcement agencies.

Such a large variety of program models suggests the range of options program

planners can consider in designing a new program—and the variety of

configurations that existing programs can consider adopting to enhance their

efforts. 

In addition, because of the tremendous variety in program design options, the

specific practices this report describes may not be feasible, effective, or needed by

other programs with different configurations. At the most basic level, for example, a

supervisory approach that a program with 25 SROs has found useful may be

completely unworkable in a program with a single SRO. As a result, programs

need to consider whether the procedures presented in this report will be

appropriate in their jurisdictions. 

20 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
Organization of the Report/Site Profiles

A separate chapter addresses each of the seven program areas. Some readers

may choose to read some chapters and not others. As a result, in order to make it

possible to read each chapter independently we have at times repeated the same

or similar information in more than one chapter. For the same reason, readers will

find relevant appendix materials at the end of each chapter rather than collected at

the end of the report.

At the end of each chapter (with the exception of the chapters on recruiting SROs

and identifying sources of funding), one or more case studies provide detailed

descriptions of how selected programs have made an especially comprehensive or

innovative effort to deal with the chapter topic. Brief summaries of these programs

follow, along with name of the chapter or chapters where the case studies may be

found. 

SRO Program Guide 21

Other Sources of Information About SRO Programs

The National Institute of Justice has recently made available on its Web site

(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/) three reports that Abt Associates Inc. prepared as part of the

National Assessment of SRO Programs. 

• The National Survey of SRO Programs and Affiliated Schools summarizes the

results of 322 responses to a mail survey of law enforcement agencies with SRO

programs and 108 responses from affiliated schools.

• Case Studies of 19 School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs provides indepth descriptions of each program's history, SROs, program activities, and

program monitoring and evaluation efforts.

• Comparison of Program Activities and Lessons Learned Among 19 School

Resource Officer (SRO) Programs compares the 19 programs in terms of

several key dimensions of program operation, with a focus on lessons learned.

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) has prepared a

number of reports on SRO program operations. Contact: www.nasro.org. The

Center for the Prevention of School Violence in the North Carolina also has several

reports on SRO programs. Contact: www.ncdjjdp.org/cpsv.
Fontana, California, Police Department (151 sworn)

Chapter 5 Training

Chapter 7 Funding

SRO Program Basics

started 1994

8 SROs

8 middle schools 

Community Demographics

population: 150,000

square miles: 38

Background Description

The Fontana Police Department promotes flexibility in program design and 

innovative problem solving. As a result, it assigns officers who are capable of working

independently to solve the problems in their schools. It also believes that SRO

performance should be based on creativity and innovation and evaluates them on

these standards. The department's focus on innovation has brought it statewide

and national recognition, tributes it presents to school boards and the city council to

help maintain the program's $949,000 annual funding.

Garner, North Carolina, Police Department (53 sworn)

Chapter 3 Screening

SRO Program Basics

started 1993

3 SROs

1 high school, 2 middle schools

Community Demographics

population: 20,000

square miles: 13.53

Background Description

The SRO program began when the town's high school principal and the president of

the Parent Teacher Association approached the chief of police following a school

shooting in a nearby city. The amount of crime in each school influences the ratio of

time each SRO spends on law enforcement, education, and counseling. One middle

school SRO spends only 20 percent of his time on law enforcement, while the other

two SROs spend about 60 percent, including investigating crimes, filing petitions,

going to court, and patrolling the campuses. All three SROs are involved in

mentoring, including coaching sports teams. The approximate cost for the SRO

program is $180,000 per year. 

22 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department (21 sworn)

Chapter 5 Training

Chapter 8 Maintaining Funding

SRO Program Basics

started 1999

1 SRO

1 high school, 1 alternative school, 1 junior high school

Community Demographics

population: 13,000

square miles: 6.5 

Background Description

The school district started the program with a COPS in Schools grant as a

relatively painless way of getting going and as a method of getting both parties 

committed to the program—the first year the police department contributed $26,000

and the school district $14,000 to the program's $80,000 cost. The program's 

one SRO—who turned down a promotion so he could remain in the position—

spends about 40 percent time each on law enforcement and mentoring and 20

percent on teaching.

Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department (61 sworn)

Chapter 6 Supervision

SRO Program Basics

started 1998 

20 SROs

19 high schools

Community Demographics

population: 70,000 

square miles: 613

Background Description 

The Maury County Sheriff's Department began its program in 1998 with 20 SROs 

serving all 19 high schools in the county. One SRO is assigned to each school, and

one "floats," substituting for the other SROs and providing back-up as needed. 

One-third of all sworn deputies in the department are SROs. The distribution of 

officers' activities among the components of the triad model varies considerably 

among schools depending on each school's needs. The program's annual 

budget is $800,000.

SRO Program Guide 23
Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police Department

(148 sworn):

Chapter 5 Training

Chapter 6 Supervision

SRO Program Basics

started 1978

130 SROs in the schools

165 schools, K-12, 1-2 SROs per school

Community Demographics

population: 1.2 million

square miles: 2,200 

Background Description

The Palm Beach County School District Police Department consists entirely of 

certified SROs, but 18 of the department's 148 sworn officers perform non-school 

related functions, including supervising the SROs. The department's $5.5 million 

budget, which also pays for the dispatch center and other activities, comes

primarily from the school district, although the COPS Office has funded 63 SROs

whom the school district has absorbed into the department's budget as Federal

funding ends.

Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Department (500 sworn)

Chapter 6 Supervision

Chapter 7 Identifying Sources of Program Funding

Chapter 8 Maintaining Funding

SRO Program Basics

started 1980

27 SROs

36 schools, K-12

Community Demographics

population: 400,000

square miles: 580 

Background Description

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has a written contract with the school district

to provide two SROs at each high school, one at each middle school, and one for

every two elementary schools. At the high school level, SROs engage first in law

enforcement, then counseling, and then teaching. At the middle school level, they

do more counseling, less law enforcement, and some teaching. At the elementary

24 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
level, they primarily teach and mentor. The school district administration provides the

bureau free space and furniture in its district headquarters building. The sheriff's

office and school district share almost equally the program's annual $2.4 million cost. 

Schaumburg, Illinois, School District 54 (140 sworn)

Chapter 8 Maintaining Funding

SRO Program Basics

started 1995 

5 SROs

5 junior high schools

Community Demographics

population: 75,000 

square miles: 19

Background Description

The Schaumburg Police Department has a written contract with School District 54 to 

provide one SRO at each of the district's five junior high schools. Until recently, the 

school district paid for three-quarters of the officers' salaries. A school principal has 

always been the program coordinator. From the start, the SROs' focus has been 

primarily on teaching and mentoring, and only secondarily on law enforcement. The 

program's budget is $200,000.

Stark County, Ohio, Sheriff's Office (100 sworn officers)

Chapter 8 Maintaining Funding

SRO Program Basics

started 1999

5 SROs

5 high schools

Community Demographics

population: 400,000

square miles: 600

Background Description

The sheriff's office received COPS in Schools funding for five full-time officers 

beginning in 1999. The SROs work in five separate school districts that vary in size

and degree of urbanization and socioeconomic development. Each school district's

SRO and high school administrator have collaborated to tailor the program to the

needs of their particular campus. As a result, the SROs vary in the degree to which

they perform activities suggested by the SRO triad model.

SRO Program Guide 25
The following individuals from among the many persons who provided information

for this report have said that readers may contact them by telephone or e-mail for

advice related to starting or enhancing an SRO program. In general, chiefs and

school district administrators will have information about funding; SROs and SRO

supervisors will be knowledgeable about recruiting, screening, training, and

supervising SROs; and principals will have experience screening and supervising

SROs. 

Chief Paul T. Donovan

Salem Police Department

9 Veteran's Memorial Parkway

Salem NH 03079-3388

(603) 890-2350

pdonovan@salempd.com

Chief James P. Kelly

Palm Beach School District Police Department

Suite B-127

3330 Forest Hill Boulevard

West Palm Beach FL 33406

(561) 434-8435

Kelly@palmbeach.k12.fl.us

Chief Robert A. Yant

Marshall Division of Public Safety

611 West Main Street

Marshall MN 56258-0477

(507) 537-7000, Ext. 200

ryant@marshallmn.com

Captain Tim Carney

Commander, Youth Services Bureau

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

Suite 106

1950 Landings Boulevard

Sarasota FL 34231-3331

(941) 927-4190/861-5800

tcarney@scgov.net

26 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
Captain Terry Holderness

Commander, Special Operations

Fontana Police Department

17005 Upland Avenue

Fontana CA 92335

(909) 350-7740

tholderness@fontana.org

Sergeant Richard Davies

Training Sergeant

Pine Bluff Police Department

200 East 8th Avenue

Pine Bluff Arkansas 71601

(870) 850-2402

rgd615@cei.net

Jim Marshall, School Resource Officer

Marshall Division of Public Safety

611 West Main Street

Marshall MN 56258-0477

Jmarshal@marshallmn.com

Glenn Brunet, School Resource Officer

Terrebone Parish Sheriff's Office

Suite 121

Main Courthouse Annex

7856 Main Street

Houma LA 70360

(985) 868-7850 (school)

(985) 876-2500 (TPSO)

gbeachpeople@mobiletel.com

James Muir

Former Assistant Superintendent of Staff Operations

School District 54

524 East Schaumburg Road

Schaumburg IL 60194-3510

(847) 885-1651 

SRO Program Guide 27
Robyn Marinelli-Haff

Supervisor of Student Services

The School Board of Sarasota County

1960 Landings Boulevard

Sarasota FL 34231-3331

(941) 927-4036

Robyn_Marinelli@srqit.sarasota.k12.fl.us

Wade Nelson

Principal

Jane Addams Junior High School

700 South Springinsguth Road

Schaumburg IL 60193

(847) 301-2110 

WardNelson@sd54.k12.il.us

Assistant Principal Cynthia Celander

East Campus Learning Alternatives

401 South Saratoga Street

Marshall MN 56258

(507) 537-6210

Cynthia.Celander@marshall.k12.mn.us

28 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction
SRO Program Guide 29

Appendix A

How the Nine Programs Were Selected for Site Visits

We started with an initial pool of 130 possible sites suggested by the COPS Office,

staff of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) and Corbin

& Associates, and State SRO Association officers. We also included in the pool

program runners-up in the selection of sites for inclusion in the National

Assessment of School Resource Officer Programs (see appendix B).

From these programs, we developed a list of 23 programs that we telephoned for

basic program information in order to screen them as possible site visit candidates.

We selected the 23 programs for one or more of the following reasons: 

(1) One or more knowledgeable individuals recommended them.

(2) We talked with the program coordinators and secured enough initial informa

tion to decide they should be included in the screening.

(3) The COPS Office suggested the programs might have comprehensive

practices.

(4) The programs provided diversity in terms of number of SROs, agency type, 

and geographic location and size.

We used three criteria for deciding which 9 programs and alternatives to

recommend to the COPS Office for site visits: 

(1) The site appeared to have made a comprehensive and determined effort to 

implement procedures in at least several of the seven topic areas. 

(2) The site had written documentation in each area in which it appeared to 

have comprehensive procedures.

(3) The site provided diversity in terms of:

• number of SROs,

• when the program began,

• geographic location, and

• type of participating law enforcement agency (municipal, county, school 

district, State).

The report incorporates information from the following six additional programs:

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Jefferson City, Missouri

Lakewood, Colorado

Scottsdale, Arizona

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Whittier, California.
30 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 1: Introduction

Appendix B

The 19 National Assessment Sites and 

How They Were Selected

Abt Associates conducted a National Assessment of School Resource Officer (SRO)

Programs ("National Assessment") through a cooperative agreement with the

National Institute of Justice (NIJ) supported by the Office of Community Oriented

Policing Services (the COPS Office).

The purpose of the National Assessment was to identify what program "models" had

been implemented, how programs had been implemented, and what lessons they

might have for other programs. To obtain the information, Abt Associates and three

subcontractors visited and telephoned participants from 19 SRO programs.

We selected the 19 programs through a rigorous screening process designed to

include four different types of programs in terms of size of sponsoring law

enforcement agency and how long the program had been in operation. 

Additional information about the National Assessment, including the process for

selecting the sites, may be found in "National Assessment of School Resource Officer

Programs: Final Project History," available from the National Institute of Justice Web

site, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/.

The 19 Programs Included in the National Assessment

Large Established Programs (5) Large New Programs (4)

Chula Vista, California Albuquerque, New Mexico

Pine Bluff, Arkansas Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Schaumburg, Illinois Stark County, Ohio

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana West Orange, New Jersey

Tucson, Arizona

Small Established Programs (5) Small New Programs (5)

all in North Carolina all in Kentucky

Boone names not identified to preserve

Garner confidentiality

Lenoir County

Montgomery County

Pasquotank County
SRO Program Guide 31

A program's first step after signing a memorandum of understanding or contract

between the law enforcement agency and school district is to recruit candidates for

the SRO position(s). 

Approaches to Recruitment 

Different law enforcement agencies in the study have used different approaches to

recruiting candidates, but three principal guidelines stand out:

(1) Do not assign officers involuntarily to be SROs; instead, solicit volunteers

for the position.

(2) Choose approaches for posting the assignment carefully, generally using 

more than one method.

(3) Provide information about the position and screening process with the 

posting.

Make the Position Voluntary

Not all patrol officers and road deputies can be effective as SROs because programs

have found that officers working in the schools need a number of skills and

personality characteristics that are very different than those required for patrol duty

(chapter 3, "Screening SROs," identifies the abilities and personality traits that SROs

need). As a result, programs that have assigned officers to be SROs involuntarily

have typically found that, although a few officers assigned to the position grow to

enjoy and become good at it, most of them do a poor job because they do not have

the ability or desire for the position. By contrast, programs report that allowing

officers to volunteer to serve as SROs results in a higher level of commitment

to the position. As John Morella, an SRO in West Orange, New Jersey, said, "It

should be a volunteer position—the officers should want to be there [in the schools]."

Choose Posting Options Carefully—and Use More Than One Approach

The programs studied for this report use one or more of six methods for recruiting

candidates:

• e-mail;

• mailboxes;

• roll call;

• bulletin boards; 

• open houses and trainings; and 

• personal invitations.

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs
32 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

Each of these approaches has its advantages and disadvantages, but obviously

departments should choose the methods that are most likely to reach all eligible

officers in their particular agencies. 

E-Mail

When officers have in-cruiser computers, sending an e-mail can reach every patrol

officer. For example, the Delaware State Police (as it does for all new positions for

which it is recruiting internally) e-mails a position announcement prepared by the

SRO program's administrative sergeant to every trooper's in-car laptop computer.

The Garner, North Carolina, Police Department also e-mails the entire department.

However, e-mail is effective only if it is the primary method of communication within

the department. For example, because patrol officers in one department have

access to e-mail only at the station house, they seldom read their e-mails. As a

result, the department relies on other methods of notifying officers when an SRO

position opens up.

Mailboxes

Mailboxes are often the most effective approach in departments that distribute

paychecks and important agency news that way. The Lakewood, Colorado, Police

Department distributes an official hard-copy memo to supervisors and officers when

it is seeking an SRO for a specific school assignment. 

Roll Call

A significant benefit to announcing position openings at roll call is that current

SROs or program supervisors can make informal brief presentations describing the

program and then answer questions. However, departments should not rely

exclusively on roll calls to recruit for the program.

• There is often limited time at roll call to ask questions. In addition, according to

one program supervisor, "During roll call, the information is buried with other

announcements and gets lost.” Furthermore, according to Sergeant William "Joe"

Cline, a supervisor of the Chula Vista program, "Many officers will be hesitant to

ask about the program for fear that other officers will kid them for expressing

interest about becoming 'Kiddie Cops'—there is no privacy at roll call. However,

I'm hopeful that this sentiment will continue to diminish as everyone continues to

recognize the huge benefits the program has proven to be for our communities

and the kids." 

• Some officers may miss the announcement because they are sick, at training, in

court, or on vacation at the time the opening is announced. 
SRO Program Guide 33

Bulletin Boards

Because many departments advertise all new positions on their internal bulletin

boards, their personnel regularly scan everything that is posted there. As a result,

although the Tucson, Arizona, program e-mails notices of openings, bulletin board

postings are more effective because it is easier for officers to walk by and take a look

at them than to get on the computer and take the time to find the job openings

website. 

Open Houses and Trainings

One program conducts an open house during different times of the year and arranges

for school officials, as well as SROs, to explain to interested officers the nature of the

SRO position and its importance to the agency, school, and local community.

Agencies can also take advantage of times when patrol and other officers are a

"captive audience" to promote the program.

• Programs can arrange to have a separate block of instruction during the entry-level

police academy training on the SRO position and its importance. 

• Agencies can set aside an hour during annual in-service training to describe the

program—including inviting an enthusiastic SRO to discuss why he or she finds the

position so rewarding and to answer questions.

• Captain Curtis Main of the Boone, North Carolina, Police Department changed the

agency's field training officer program so that all new recruits spend 2 weeks of the

14-week program shadowing the SRO in the high school. 

Personal Invitations to Apply

Some programs invite specific officers or deputies who are thought to be appropriate

for the position to apply. 

• Supervisors in the Sarasota County, Florida, program use personal relationships to

actively recruit candidates who they think might be good SROs because the

supervisors feel the officers have the right personality or because they know the

officers have children at home or are involved in youth activities. 

• In Salem, New Hampshire, SRO Steve Malisos reported that "Kevin Nolan [the first

SRO] recruited me. He said, 'Would you be interested?' I had been on patrol for 10

years, and Kevin had a hunch that I was ready to make a change [and felt sure

Malisos would be the right person for the job]." 
34 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

• The program supervisor in Jefferson City, Missouri, meets informally with carefully

selected officers in hallways or luncheonettes to encourage them to apply, asking,

"Have you ever thought about coming to our unit? If so, are you interested in

working with our youth?" 

• In Lakewood, Colorado, Sergeant Patricia Heffner asks the SROs to suggest

other officers who might be good for the position and then invites them to apply.

• Captain Curtis Main reviews the daily logs maintained by trainees during the field

training block when new recruits shadow an SRO (see above) to identify rookies

who might be interested in and appropriate for the position in the future. 

The Whittier, California, Police Department, started its recruitment efforts for its

program with officers who were already providing school security either by

moonlighting as security guards or working overtime for the police department

through a contract with the schools. Similarly, some program supervisors ask their

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officers, who are already teaching in

the schools, if they would like to apply. 

In contrast, Sergeant Jerry Thommes, the police supervisor of the Schaumburg,

Illinois, program, deliberately does not invite particular officers to apply because he

feels that could discourage other candidates who may feel they are at a

disadvantage. To avoid the perception and reality of being unfair, programs

should not rely on personal invitations as their only recruitment approach.

While many very small departments understandably rely heavily on word of mouth

to advertise, in addition to being unreliable the approach can result in some officers

deciding that the selection process was unfair. 

In a variation of the personal invitation approach, some departments contact

officers who applied for the position previously but, although qualified, were not

selected (see the box "Keep a Pool of Qualified Candidates").
SRO Program Guide 35

Keep a Pool of Qualified Candidates

A few programs keep a list of candidates who, after screening for a previous SRO

opening, were found to be qualified but were not selected. When positions open up

again, program supervisors contact these officers to encourage them to reapply. 

• The Schaumburg Police Department keeps screened and eligible candidates who

were not selected in an eligibility pool for six months. 

• Candidates for SRO positions in the Garner, North Carolina, Police Department

who qualified but were not selected are placed on an eligibility list for the following

year and given first choice if a position opens up.

Some departments help rejected but qualified candidates prepare for the next cycle

of applications.

• The program coordinator in Lakewood asks the supervisors of candidates who are

ineligible because they do not have sufficient experience on the force to permit the

officers to observe an SRO in the schools so they can decide whether to reapply in

the future and, if so, to have a better idea about how to be successful candidates. 

• For qualified applicants who were not selected, Captain Curtis Main of the Boone,

North Carolina, Police Department organizes training on topics such as crime

prevention. He also arranges for them to work ball games or other extracurricular

events so they have a better feel for the job, will be more desirable candidates in

the future, and will be better prepared, if they get the assignment, for going into the

schools. 

• The Garner Police Department's program provides candidates who qualify as

SROs, but were outscored by other applicants, with their final screening results, as

well as an analysis of their performance and strategies, so they can improve their

scores if they reapply. 
36 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

Using Multiple Approaches

In general, except in very small departments, using more than one recruitment

approach is most likely to ensure that all potential candidates learn about the

opportunity to apply. For example, the Chula Vista program supervisors

announce each opening through e-mail and hard copy in every eligible officer's

mailbox, and they also ask patrol sergeants to read and distribute copies of the

announcement at roll calls. The West Orange Police Department announces

openings using mailboxes and line-ups; the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office uses

bulletin boards and line-ups; and the Fontana, California, Police Department relies

on bulletin boards and e-mails.

Provide Information With the Posting

To reduce the number of inappropriate candidates, position announcements should: 

• provide basic eligibility criteria (see chapter 3, "Screening SROs"); 

• describe the screening process applicants will have to undergo; and 

• identify important features of the job (e.g., teaching, after-hours work).

For example, the Garner Police Department posting lists the following requirements

for the position:

• two years of service;

• no disciplinary actions in the past 12 months before applying;

• above average score on the department's previous performance review;

• a certain number of training points (e.g.,1 point for public speaking, 1 point for

health and wellness activities, 3 points for community policing); and

• one self-study research project of at least 30 hours completed.

The Schaumburg Police Department's announcement identifies 14 responsibilities

officers will be expected to fulfill, beginning not with law enforcement but with

education, such as "Teach lessons in gang/violence resistance and drug and

alcohol resistance to all Junior High students." The Chula Vista position

announcement makes clear that applicants need to be willing to "[p]rovide gang

awareness training to upper grades and 911 training to lower grades, as well as

possess, among other skills:

• ability to prioritize workload,

• ability to interact with school officials, and 

• knowledge of mentoring principles.
SRO Program Guide 37

Incentives

There are two types of incentives for becoming an SRO: those that are inherent in

the position and those that the law enforcement agency can offer to "sweeten the

pot."

Publicize the Incentives Provided by the Nature of the Position

SROs and supervisors report there are four features of being an SRO that are

particularly attractive to some officers.

(1) Having weekends and holidays off, and working only days. According 

to one SRO, "So many officers applied [in his department] because it is an 

opportunity to get away from rotating shifts and to get on the day shift 

permanently." In the Palm Beach School District Police Department, "A

major incentive to recruitment is the reduced duty year SROs have

[compared with other officers]—only 202 work days," according to chief 

James Kelly.

(2) Working with kids. Time and again, SROs report they always wanted to 

work with kids as the major reason they sought the position.

(3) Being able to make a difference in the lives of kids by helping them to 

stay out of trouble or turn their lives around. SRO José Cuellar with the 

Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police Department said, "I've 

always been interested in working with kids because of the opportunity to 

save some along the way. On the street, it's a revolving door—the same 

drunks and prostitutes. In school, you can save a few kids. At the first

graduation I went to as an SRO, three kids who'd I'd arrested thanked me 

for helping them out."

(4) Being independent, free from excessively close supervision. For James 

Wilkerson, an SRO with the Palm Beach County program, "One of the 

biggest advantages of the position is not being micromanaged—you're left 

alone but not abandoned." 

Several other features of the SRO position also motivate some officers to apply for

the position.

(1) Receiving constant reinforcement from many administrators and 

faculty who, as one SRO supervisor said, "roll out the red carpet for the

officers in terms of welcoming them warmly."
38 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

(2) Experiencing new and challenging work. "Patrol officers are locked into a 

beat and radio; SROs have more flexibility and can be more creative," one 

supervisor said. 

(3) Handling cases from start to finish. According to SRO Steve Malisos in 

Salem, "Unlike a patrolman, you get to follow up on every case. When I 

heard that there were kids in the [school] building who were producing and 

selling fake New Hampshire driver licenses, I found the suspects, drew up 

search warrants for their homes, seized a computer in their houses, and 

testified in court." 

(4) Gaining opportunities for extra training. Some officers are attracted to 

the extra training SROs receive in many departments—for example, the 

Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department provides training to its SROs beyond 

what a patrol officer would receive because they need to be able to conduct 

investigations from start to finish on their own. When recruiting for SRO 

positions, the department's program supervisor said he highlights the fact 

that SROs receive more training than any other assignment in the department 

because other positions are more specialized and the training, therefore, is 

more targeted. 

(5) Becoming detectives. In some departments, officers automatically become 

detectives in the agencies' juvenile bureau when they become SROs. "Some 

officers," Detective John Jameson, a former Schaumburg SRO, reported, "like 

detective status."

(6) Gaining an advantage in getting promoted. 

— According to Jim Marshall, the only SRO in the Marshall, Minnesota, 

Police Department, "Being an SRO can be a positive for promotion because 

it shows how you can implement programs on your own and not be super

vised every day. This is also a high visibility position with the media and 

parents—so you're on the chief's radar. I thought about all this before I 

applied for the position and felt it would help my career." 

— According to SRO Steve Malisos, "As a means of career advancement, 

some officers want to experience working in several positions in the 

department. In addition, it can help you because you have to multi-task and 

wear lots of hats. So you can show people [in the department] you have 

different abilities. You develop skills in community relations, public speaking 

with PTAs and in the classroom, giving advice to principals, and dealing with 

every crime here that you see on the street—assault, theft, drugs, alcohol." 
SRO Program Guide 39

Departments are likely to attract more candidates to the positions if they describe

these benefits to becoming an SRO in their postings. For example, in order to

attract candidates, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Police Department's posting of

the position (see the appendix) notes that the position offers:

• daytime hours;

• weekends and holidays off;

• bidding the patrol shift SROs want to work during the summer;

• training opportunities;

• working in an environment in which they are welcomed and held in high esteem;

• working independently;

• being proactive; and

• investigating and following through with cases the same way a detective does.

Consider Offering Additional Incentives 

In some departments, few officers have responded to postings. No one at all

volunteered for the position in one small program. In another jurisdiction, the

number of candidates declined from 18 to 4 after patrol officers saw that SROs

were required to teach and work one-on-one with students. As a result, while not a

common practice,2 a few of the 34 programs in the study provide additional

incentives to attract applicants.

(1) Take-home cruisers. In the Tucson Police Department, only SROs get to 

take their cruisers home every night. Although all deputies in the Sarasota 

County Sheriff's Office have take-home cruisers, SROs get an unmarked 

take-home car. The experience of the Scottsdale Police Department

suggests the motivating power of offering take-home cruisers: when the 

agency stopped the practice, it noticed a decline in the number of officers 

applying for SRO vacancies. 

The Fontana, California, Program Builds a Better Mousetrap

Fontana's program supervisor, along with several SROs, believe that the well-run

nature of the program, the respect it is accorded in the schools and the community,

and its multiple local and national awards for excellence are the best incentives for

attracting candidates—an example of the cliché, "build a better mousetrap and

people will beat a path to your door." As a command staff person said, "If we do an

excellent job and make sure people know about it, everything else [recruitment and

funding] will take care of itself."

2Among the 658 SROs and SRO supervisors polled in the 2002 National Association of School

Resource Officer (NASRO) School Resource Officer Survey, only 19 percent reported receiving

additional benefits. See www.nasro.com.
40 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

Taking their vehicles home benefits SROs in two ways:

• SROs save time by not having to travel to the stationhouse to pick 

up and return a vehicle at the beginning and end of each day. 

• SROs save money by not having to use their personal vehicles to 

commute to work. One SRO estimated that a take-home car could 

save an officer between $3,000-$5,000 a year on gas, repairs, and 

liability insurance. 

(2) Extra pay. A number of programs provide a salary stipend for SROs. In 

Sarasota County and Schaumburg the officers receive an automatic $1,300 

and $1,600 bonus, respectively, because they become detectives. Four 

other programs offer a bonus of five percent of the SRO's base pay. 

Other programs have made use of still other incentives.

• A consultant hired by one SRO program suggested that providing the SROs with

mountain bikes would attract officers to the position. As a result, the program

bought several bikes and then sent one SRO for training in how to use them so

he could in turn train the other SROs in their proper use.

• In Tennessee, Captain Nathan Johns, the Maury County program supervisor,

emphasizes the "team" element of the SRO program to potential candidates.

Many of the current SROs have been with the program since it began in 1998,

which has helped create a bond within the group. The department deliberately

fosters this esprit de corps by sending all the SROs each year to the annual

Tennessee School Resource Officers conference and by hosting required weekly

meetings for all SROs, supervisors, and the sheriff. 

Some programs provide a package of incentives. The Sarasota County Sheriff's

Office offers candidates:

• a stepping stone to promotion in the department since the program is one of its

most prized assignments (the current sheriff was the agency's second SRO); 

• detective status;

• $1,300 extra in detective pay;

• an unmarked take-home cruiser; 

• increased opportunities for paid overtime; and 

• opportunities for extra training. 
SRO Program Guide 41

When programs do not have enough applicants, it makes sense to offer incentives

to avoid the alternative of assigning officers to be SROs involuntarily. The Tucson

Police Department's program found that introducing two common incentives was

effective in increasing its applicant pool (see the box "Tucson's Incentives Resulted

in More Applicants").

Tucson's Incentives Resulted in More Applicants

Several years ago, very few officers were applying to be SROs in the Tucson Police

Department—first established in 1962—because of the stigma associated with being

a "Kiddie Cop" and the need to learn "nonpolice" information (e.g., child

development) and new skills (especially, teaching). When the rest of the department

went to four 10-hour days, it became even more difficult to recruit SROs, who had to

work five days a week. As a result, the department instituted two incentives:

• providing a five percent increase in SRO base pay; and 

• giving SROs take-home cruisers.

At the same time, the department extended its four 10-hours-a-day week for patrol

officers to SROs, giving them either every Monday or Friday off—a long weekend. 

According to supervisor Sergeant Steve Belda, "All three are [effective] incentives. I

have heard it said that 'If it were not for the benefits—golden handcuffs—I'd leave

this unit.' They have a lot to do with getting officers interested. The take-homes save

them money having to maintain and buy gas for their personal cars. SROs also

receive a five percent salary increase when coming into the SRO Unit."
42 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

Neutralizing Disincentives

Many officers are discouraged from applying to become SROs because they feel

the position has disadvantages. Agencies can try to increase the number of

applicants by eliminating or softening what officers feel are disincentives to

becoming SROs. The discussion below identifies the most commonly perceived

disincentives and methods of counteracting them.

Teaching. Many officers feel anxious—even terrified—about teaching in front

of a class. As a result, according to Detective John Jameson, a former SRO in

Schaumburg, "Having to manage a classroom scares people from applying." Jim

Marshall agreed: "Some cops are afraid to teach—that's a big part of the problem

[of officers not wanting to be SROs]."

• Neutralize: Tell officers they will be trained to teach before they go into the

schools, or shortly afterwards. Have an experienced SRO explain how he or she

was nervous initially about teaching but came to be good at it and enjoy it.

"Kiddie Cop" image. Some officers are concerned that other officers—or they

themselves—see SROs as a not doing "real" police work. 

• Neutralize: Three departments have taken steps to eliminate the "babysitter"

myth.

—Captain Curtis Main of the Boone Police Department tells officers about the 

number of felony arrests SROs make. In addition, as noted above, Main 

arranged for every new recruit to the department to shadow the SRO in the 

high school to see how much real police work they do. 

—The Lakewood Police Department periodically distributes a bulletin (see 

chapter 4, "Minimizing Turnover") designed in part to educate patrol officers to 

the serious crimes SROs address in the schools. 

—A police department in Kentucky reassigns its SROs to regular patrol during the

summer to help prevent other officers from misperceiving the SROs as "not 

real cops." 
SRO Program Guide 43

Lack of mobility. While SROs have more independence than most patrol officers

and considerable flexibility in how they schedule their day, the job can be 

confining. According to Captain Curtis Main, "Some officers get claustrophobic

focusing only on a school building and parking lot." 

• Neutralize. Explain that many SROs end up leaving campus several times during

the week to transport kids to the juvenile detention center, attend court, back up

another SRO in an emergency, visit homes where there is a truancy problem, or

travel to their feeder schools. Point out that, while confined to the campus, SROs

experience a tremendous amount of varied stimulation, including counseling kids,

coordinating with administrators, handling parents, breaking up fights, investigating

crimes, making arrests, and participating in volunteer endeavors such as coaching.

Hard work. Sergeant Dennis Bogdan, a program supervisor in West Orange, says

that the hard work involved—the demands and expectations of the job—can be a

disincentive. For example, "You can't just tell war stories in class; you need

meaningful instruction with an organized lesson plan." Lieutenant Greg Harrison of

the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina warns candidates that "working in

the schools is hard work—you're not sitting in a car for eight hours like in patrol." 

• Neutralize: Agree that SROs work very hard, but point out how stimulating, varied,

and challenging the work is dealing with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations,

resulting in satisfaction in doing a good job on so many fronts. Explain how

supervisors will be flexible about providing time off. For example, if SROs in

Sarasota County need to take care of a sick child, Captain Tim Carney, who

supervises program, lets them go home. 

Working after hours. According to Captain Curtis Main, some officers are

discouraged from applying "because the extracurricular activities [SROs must

participate in, such as athletic events, dances] make the days long." Captain Nathan

Johns in Maury County said, "Particularly if they have children, the SROs' schedule

can be a disincentive because the extracurricular activities make the schedule during

the school year very hectic and prevent SROs from attending their own families'

events." 

• Neutralize. Find ways of compensating SROs for their long hours.

—To allow some flexibility in SRO schedules, Maury County assigns each SRO a 

back-up SRO to cover events and activities that conflict with important personal 

commitments.

—Captain Curtis Main counters the long days by allowing officers to build up 

compensatory time and then, combined with their regular vacation, take off July 

and half of August. The chief agreed to the policy as long as the SROs would 

come into the department periodically to check for messages. 
44 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs

Isolation from the department. Some potential candidates anticipate—or have

been told—that, as SROs, they may get disconnected from the rest of the agency

and miss the squad camaraderie and knowing what is going on in the 

department.

• Neutralize: While SROs who go back to being beat officers during the summer

can renew their contacts with other officers, programs have found other ways to

reduce SROs' feelings of isolation.

—As noted above, Captain Johns in Maury County emphasizes the "team" 

element of the SRO program to potential candidates, pointing out that the unit 

has developed an internal esprit de corps—including weekly meetings with the 

sheriff—that helps reduce their sense of separation from the rest of the 

department. 

—Program supervisors in the Chula Vista Police Department require SROs to go 

to the day shift patrol roll call every Wednesday morning. In addition, SROs 

supplement patrol on critical calls and are encouraged to work patrol shifts on 

overtime when there are shortages on patrol. 

—Jim Marshall reported that "I decided to come to the office at the beginning and

end of every day" to stay in touch with other officers. SRO Kiel Higgins in 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, works off-duty with patrol officers every Friday and 

Saturday from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. to target parties. A few SROs stay with—

or join—the SWAT team to keep in touch with other officers. 

—The Lakewood Police Department's in-house SRO program bulletin has 

prompted discussions between the SROs and other department officers about 

at-risk youth and trends in student misconduct. 

Dead-end position. Some SROs feel the position will stall their careers because it

involves working with kids and is isolating. In some departments, this may be the

case.

• Neutralize: Make sure department administrators realize why the program should

be considered a plus for SROs seeking promotion—for example, as one police

chief said, "More than being a representative of the chief during a traffic stop,

these officers really make an impact on the chief's or sheriff's tenure." High

ranking administrators should make clear that the position is a valued assignment

in the department by bringing it up as a qualification when SROs apply for

promotions (the grapevine will take care of making sure other officers find this

out).
SRO Program Guide 45

In summary, programs can address disincentives in three ways.

(1) When the disincentive reflects a misconception, spread the truth about the

program. As noted above, the Lakewood Police Department distributes a 

bulletin describing some of the dicey and interesting arrests SROs make in 

order to dispel the myth that the officers are "Kiddie Cops." 

(2) When the disincentive is real but modifiable, change it. For example, the 

Tucson Police Department extended patrol officers' 4-10s schedule to the 

SROs.

(3) When the disincentive is indisputable and unalterable, offset the drawbacks to the position by offering incentives and by publicizing the 

position's numerous significant attractions. 

Once the program has recruited candidates, it then has to carefully screen them to

ensure that only highly qualified officers are assigned as SROs—the subject of the

following chapter.

Some Disincentives Are Unique to Specific Departments

Programs need to find out whether features of their particular law enforcement

agency discourage officers from applying to become SROs and then eliminate these

features.

• As every police officer and sheriff's deputy knows, in some departments there are

units run by commanders whom no one gets along with. When one police

department had to appoint officers to become SROs because no one applied, it

discovered that the program supervisors had a reputation for being difficult to work

for. When the department replaced the supervisors, the unit became known as a

good place to work and received more than enough applicants for each SRO

position. 

• In Fontana, because SROs must investigate allegations of sexual abuse and

molestation that occur in schools, some officers who anticipate being

uncomfortable handling these cases will not apply for openings in the program.

One response is to explain to potential applicants how infrequently these cases

may occur.
46 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 2: Recruiting SROs
SRO Program Guide 47

As with many occupations, the qualifications and the personality of the SRO

are likely to make or break the program according to most of the program

participants interviewed for this report. As a result, they say, the single most

important component of an SRO program may be staffing it properly by (1)

developing written criteria for selecting qualified officers and then (2)

carefully screening applicants using these criteria. 

Screening Criteria

There are two types of criteria for selecting SROs: essential criteria that all

programs should apply to all candidates and optional criteria that some programs

may wish to adopt.

Apply Eight Essential Criteria to Every Candidate

Program personnel largely agree that only officers who meet the following eight

criteria should be selected as SROs:

(1) likes kids, cares about and wants to work with kids, and is able to work with

kids;

(2) has the right demeanor and "people skills," including good 

communication skills;

(3) has experience as a patrol officer or road deputy;

(4) is able to work independently with little supervision;

(5) is exceptionally dependable;

(6) is willing to work very hard;

(7) is—or can become—an effective teacher; and

(8) has above average integrity.

Programs should apply these criteria to each candidate for every SRO position

regardless of the school's grade level, size, student body, and culture, or other

considerations. 

That said, when no one or only one or two eligible officers apply for the position (for

example, in very small agencies), departments may not be able to require

candidates to meet all these criteria because the applicant pool is too small. For

example, one program supervisor said that, when there are not a lot of applicants

for the opening, he accepts a young officer without the required patrol experience if

the officer really wants to work with kids.

Chapter 3: Screening SROs
48 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

In other cases, officers who do not meet all the criteria can still become effective

SROs if the program trains them thoroughly before (or shortly after) they go

on the job—and then supervises them closely. The matrix below indicates the

characteristics every SRO should have before being accepted for the position and

those characteristics that are also necessary but which training before (or shortly

after) going on the job, followed by close supervision, may be able to instill in them.

However, a better approach is to improve the recruitment process, as discussed in

the previous chapter, so that additional officers who have all these qualifications

apply for the position. 

The text below discusses the rationale for applying these eight screening criteria.

(1) Likes kids, cares about and wants to work with kids, and is able to 

work with kids

Not surprisingly, everyone we interviewed agreed that this is the single most

essential qualification for becoming an SRO. However, some program participants

emphasized that wanting to work with kids is not good enough—SROs have to be

able to work with kids. John Morella, an SRO with the West Orange, New Jersey,

Police Department, tied the need to be able to work with kids back to one of his

department's objectives for the program: "You have to like and care about kids—the

whole idea of the program is to break down barriers between cops and kids."

Criteria Applicants Must Meet Before They Are Selected as SROs Versus

Criteria They Can Meet Afterwards With Training and Supervision

Absolute Requirements

• wants to work with kids

• has the right demeanor and "people

skills" 

• has experience as a patrol officer

• has above average integrity

Attitudes and Skills That Can Be

Taught or Instilled

• is able to work independently

• is exceptionally dependable

• is willing to work very hard

• is able to teach
SRO Program Guide 49

Some supervisors take into consideration whether a candidate has children of his

or her own because they consider this an indication that the person may be "child

centered" and because parents have presumably learned how to communicate with

kids. As Kiel Higgins, an SRO in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said, "It's a plus [in

being an effective SRO] if you have kids of your own." 

(2) Has the right demeanor and "people skills," and good communication 

skills

Program participants agree that SROs need three types of related personality traits

and skills in terms of to how they interact with other people. First, SROs need the

right demeanor, including being:

• calm or having an even temperament (not yelling or overreacting);

• approachable (not intimidating or aloof—see the box "SROs Have to Be

Approachable");

• able to put up gracefully with kids' foolish talk and nonsense (not getting

defensive); and

• patient (not getting exasperated and annoyed).

At times, having the right demeanor requires SROs to exercise a great deal of self

restraint:

• Cynthia Celander, an assistant principal in Marshall, Minnesota: "SROs need a

sense of humor and should not take kids' comments personally. SROs can't

overreact to every little thing kids say; SROs need a sense of balance."

• Sergeant Paul Marchand, the program supervisor with the Salem, New

Hampshire, Police Department: "SROs are a special breed; you have to take a lot

of guff. You need a temperament that doesn't get easily fired up and has

patience."

SROs need to have the proper demeanor not only to accomplish their mission with

kids but also because the officers are highly visible when they perform their jobs:

"Demeanor—this is important," the Oklahoma County program supervisor in the

sheriff's office, Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, said, "because SROs are constantly

in the community's eyes in dealing with their kids."
50 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

A major complement to having the right demeanor to work with kids is the ability to

work with school administrators. Why?

• Most principals consider their schools to be their domain. 

• School administrators generally see their role as one of ensuring the education of

their students and tend to regard the police officer role as one of punishment. 

• SROs work on a daily, even hourly, basis with school administrators. 

As a result, SROs need (1) tact, (2) persistence, and (3) flexibility to be able to

work with principals and assistant principals who may be reluctant to share

authority with anyone or simply concerned initially about sharing control with "a

cop."

Closely related to being able to work well with administrators is the importance of

functioning as a team player rather than—as SROs were used to doing on patrol—

"running the show" by themselves. As Detective John Jameson, a former SRO in

Schaumburg, Illinois, said, "You have to be a team player. You have to be

comfortable with school administrators and teachers and support staff. Cops

usually deal with things on the street entirely on their own; in schools, you have to

work with other people."

SROs Have to Be Approachable

Many program participants make clear that SROs who maintain the stereotypical

authoritarian "cop" demeanor in dealing with the public will not succeed as SROs

unless they change their behavior.

• Kiel Higgins, SRO, Albuquerque, New Mexico: "A lot of cops are stern and abrupt

and harsh; SROs need to be caring to work with kids."

• Steve Malisos, Salem, New Hampshire, SRO: "They can't act like a cop—you can't

be Mr. Authority. The students will not open up to you, thereby jeopardizing a

valuable information resource."

One reason SROs need to avoid being distant or harsh with students is that the

officers' encounters with kids are typically not one-time occurrences. SRO Derrick

Berry with the Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police Department said,

"The most common problem with new SROs is that, on the road, they deal with a

situation and leave and never see the person again. But kids come back to school

the next day, so SROs need to talk and carry through with them on an ongoing

basis. They have to be delicate, not blunt."
SRO Program Guide 51

SROs also need to be able to deal with parents in a variety of situations. Cynthia

Celander, assistant principal in Marshall, pointed out several types of interactions

SROs need to be able to have with parents:

• "Being able to communicate with parents to diffuse tense situations and present

sensitive issues that can mortify them." (Her SRO found two students having sex

in a car on a side street and called their parents after bringing the students to

Celander.)

• "Explaining how parents can cope with legal consequences of their kids' behavior,

and knowing what programs and other resources are available to help them and

their children." 

(3) Has experience as a patrol officer or road deputy

Almost every program assigns as SROs only officers who have spent at least a few

years on the road. For example, the Tucson, Arizona, Police Department requires

SROs to have three years of continuous service with the department. This

experience is important for a number of reasons.

• Glenn Brunet, an SRO in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, said, "You can't assign

rookies as SROs because the kids will test you, and SROs need answers. You

need at least 2-3 years' experience on patrol handling calls on the street because

. . . you get experience dealing with people in crisis." 

• According to a former Tucson program supervisor, SRO applicants need patrol

experience in part "so that they've seen what it's like to get hassled by the public

and be able to respond appropriately." 

• John Morella, an SRO in West Orange, added that SROs "need a few years'

experience on the road so they understand the workings of the police department,

because kids inquire about what it's like to be a cop or ask for advice."

Being a Team Player Does Not Mean Always Giving In

Being a team player does not mean the SRO must always accede to the wishes of

others. SROs must also be able to be firm when the need arises. As Glenn Brunet,

an SRO in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, made clear, "The SRO needs to be kind

but will stand his ground when he needs to." Brunet, after obtaining his supervisor's

approval, once had to threaten to arrest a principal for interfering with a police officer

in the performance of his duty when the administrator was physically barring Brunet

from arresting a student.
52 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Programs should not only require SROs to have spent time in patrol but to have

done well on patrol—as Sergeant Jerry Thommes, the program supervisor in

Schaumburg, Illinois, said, "You want SROs who were good cops. For example,

they know how to investigate a case and write a good report." 

One program supervisor believes that correctional officers with no policing

experience can make excellent SROs and can perform even better than

experienced patrol officers or road deputies (see the box "A Dissenting Opinion

About the Need for Policing Experience"). While this was a minority view and

applies of course only to programs run by sheriff's departments that operate a jail,

in some respects seasoned correctional officers have had important relevant

experience that patrol officers have not gone through, including taking constant guff

day in and day out, learning to live and communicate with the same people every

shift, and working cooped up all day in the same building.

(4) Is able to work independently

While most patrol officers function largely without direct supervision and separated

from other patrol officers, SROs are particularly isolated. In part, they are out of

sight (literally-inside the school building) and therefore out of mind. Usually, they do

not even appear for roll call. They are also isolated from the department inasmuch

as their direct (if unofficial) supervisor for day-by-day activity is a principal or

assistant principal, not the police or sheriff's department SRO supervisor. As a

result, SROs must be capable of—and comfortable with—working alone, with

minimal contact with the department. 

Program participants used different terminology to describe this needed trait,

including being "proactive," "self-motivated," and a "self-starter," and "taking the

initiative" to do what is needed.

• Sergeant Richard Davies, former SRO, Pine Bluff, Arkansas: "[You need]

someone who needs little supervision—not someone who is going to pick up the

phone all the time to ask the sergeant, 'I have a suicidal kid, should I call in

mental health?' Of course you do." 

• Sergeant Dennis Bogdan, program supervisor, West Orange: "They need maturity

and reliability, because they receive less supervision than patrol officers do; they

need to be able to handle tasks on their own. They must also be self-starters.

Supervisors can't monitor them every hour of the day."
SRO Program Guide 53

A Dissenting Opinion About the Need for Policing Experience

Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, supervisor of the Oklahoma County program, argues

that correctional officers with no police experience make better SROs than do

seasoned patrol officers. Indeed, most SROs in the Oklahoma County program have

had no experience on the streets but have been hired directly from the jail where

they have been correctional officers (or, in a few cases, from the court where they

have provided security). 

"This has worked wonders," Thompson said. "A lot of seasoned patrol officers are

reactive to 911 and dispatch, and have been trained that way, but we want proactive

SROs who prevent misconduct. The new cop is more open to change because he

doesn't have the ingrained reactive mentality from the street; instead, he will bend

more with administrators, be more flexible, and strive to understand the education

system. In fact, when a position opens up, no road deputies apply, perhaps because

they see it as being a 'Kiddie Cop' position." 

"Correctional officers also make better SROs than road deputies," Thompson

continues, "because they have learned how to communicate with inmates;

outnumbered and unarmed, they can't simply force inmates to behave. As a result,

they have to fall back on persuasion, mediation, and 'verbal judo' rather than what

most police officers resort to on the streets when there is trouble—force."

During the summer and Christmas break, the former correctional officers, now new

SROs, go on patrol with experienced road deputies to get trained. They are also

scheduled to attend the 16-week Council of Law Enforcement and Education

Training (CLEET) academy to become sworn officers. 

Coincidentally, Maury County Sheriff Enoch George in Tennessee voiced a similar

perspective. Enoch said that he sees a difference in the new SROs who are coming

off the street as patrol deputies compared with new SROs who have been

correctional officers because "patrol officers have a more difficult time adapting to

the school environment." 
54 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

(5) Is exceptionally dependable

The principal aspect to being dependable is always showing up at school. One of

the top 2 of 17 "important characteristics of an SRO" that planners of the Stark

County, Ohio, program identified is dependability—for example, "not taking too

many sick days." Other program participants confirm the importance of this trait.

• Christopher Renouf, principal, Sarasota County, Florida: "Kids want to see that

the SRO will be there [in school] regularly."

• Sergeant Richard Davies: Applicants have to have "an above average attendance

record—SROs have to be in school."

A second aspect to "dependability" is that SROs need to follow through with

what they say they will do, especially with kids. According to Sergeant Richard

Davies, "SROs have to take kids' concerns seriously and follow up on them."

(6) Is willing to work very hard

If SROs are not working very hard—even in schools with very few crimes—they are

not doing their job. As one supervisor said, "They have to be willing to work hard—

cops are lazy, but you have to spend time on this job." 

Because they have to work so hard, SROs need good organizational skills—

they need to be able to manage their time well. Lieutenant Chris Hagwood of the

Garner Police Department in North Carolina pointed out that "the multiple demands

placed on SROs from teachers, principals, and the department can be difficult for

some officers to manage." A program administrator with the Palm Beach County

School District Police Department said his most difficult supervisory responsibility is

stressing time management to SROs. For example, one SRO's only weakness is 

not getting memos done on time. Because the SRO failed to submit a report on

time, the chief was uninformed about an incident when the media questioned him.

As a result, SROs need to be able to "multi-task", but also establish priorities for

what they will do first, what they will leave until later, and what they will have to tell

people they cannot get to at all. 

As a result of these competing demands, being an effective SRO requires being

flexible—having the ability to "switch gears" quickly from one thing to

another. As Christopher Renouf, an elementary school principal in Sarasota

County, said, "Especially at the elementary level, you have to keep stopping what

you're doing to attend to something else." 
SRO Program Guide 55

(7) Is—or can become—an effective teacher

The Delaware State Police program requires candidates to already be certified as

instructors in order to become an SRO. Officers who have been teaching the Gang

Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) or Drug Abuse Resistance

Education (D.A.R.E.) curriculum before they become SROs have a significant head

start in becoming effective teachers. 

However, most SROs in the study began working in the schools knowing little or

nothing about how to teach. Fortunately, some SROs report, this is a skill they can

learn with little permanent damage to the program after they have begun working in

the schools if not too many weeks go by before they receive training (see

chapter 5, "Training SROs"). 

(8) Has above average integrity

All law enforcement officers should have above average integrity. However, several

program participants suggested that SROs have to have even higher ethical

standards than other police officers because they are mentoring kids.

• Christopher Renouf, elementary school principal, Sarasota County: "You have to

walk the walk—if you preach to kids, you have to role model what you preach to

them and to parents—you have to be a very ethical, moral person." 

• Sergeant Richard Davies, former SRO in Pine Bluff: "An SRO has to have above

average morals because of the potential for complicated relationships with kids.

Kids are very vulnerable to innuendo; little girls love attention. So you have to be

on automatic pilot to make sure that nothing suggestive is said or done and that

any advances are firmly and immediately rejected."

Another aspect of having integrity is treating students in a consistent manner.

Patrol officers enjoy tremendous discretion in terms of whether and how they

sanction offenders. For example, depending on a number of factors, when a driver

runs a red light an officer can ignore it, give a verbal reprimand, give a written

warning, issue a citation, or arrest the person for reckless endangerment. However,

SROs effectiveness' will be impaired if they treat students in an apparently

inconsistent manner. As SRO Jim Marshall said, "SROs have to have the ability to

be fair and consistent. Marshall is a small community, so I know a lot of parents.

Some ask for favors—for example, 'Cut my kid some slack.' But I tell them I have

to be consistent [in how I treat the kids]." 
56 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Additional Criteria Some Programs Use

Several programs use additional criteria for selecting SROs (see the box "Optional

Criteria for Selecting SROs"), the most common of which are familiarity with

juvenile law, good report writing skills, some college experience, and ties to the

local community.

Finally, a few programs make a point of preferring SROs who are relatively

young—typically, in their twenties or early thirties—under the assumption that they

and the students will be able to relate to each other better than older SROs can.

However, SROs in their forties and even fifties were observed interacting very

effectively with kids. Furthermore, while SROs and students who are closer in age

may have more rapport, older SROs have developed a maturity that in many ways

makes them superior to younger SROs in terms of their roles as enforcers of the

law, counselors, and mentors. Sergeant Richard Davies in Pine Bluff remarked,

"You need maturity [to be an SRO]. You can't throw a 21-year old cop into the

schools—he's still in the dating pool." 

In addition, older SROs have often been through the stresses and rewards of

raising children—and discovered first hand the best ways of handling kids. They

also understand how children with apparently serious problem behaviors often

"outgrow" or overcome them with proper parenting and mentoring. Finally, most

older officers have outgrown the "John Wayne syndrome" of resorting initially to the

use of force and getting excited about sirens and flashing lights.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a few programs appoint officers who are

nearing retirement or have already retired. In most cases, programs have found

that this is not a wise choice. On the one hand, officers who are about to retire may

simply go through the motions of being SROs because they want a "cushy"

position until they qualify for their pension. On the other hand, retired officers often

lack the motivation to fulfill the strenuous responsibilitie because they often want

the money that goes with being rehired.
SRO Program Guide 57

Optional Criteria for Selecting SROs

Some programs use additional criteria for selecting SROs, but typically these criteria are

more of a "wish list" that departments add to the essential criteria. 

Knows the law as it relates to juveniles and schools 

SROs need to have a firm grasp of their legal authority and the schools' powers in dealing

with students, especially in such areas as search and seizure on school grounds and

questioning students without parents present. As a result, the Scottsdale, Arizona, Police

Department requires applicants to take a written examination on juvenile crime and

investigations. However, many program supervisors and SROs in the study feel that

applicants already know the law or can learn it before or just after going on the job. 

Has good report writing skills

According to James Kelly, chief of the Palm Beach County School District Police

Department, "Writing skills are especially important in an educational environment where

people know what good writing is and the first thing they look at is format, writing ability,

etc., not content. Most people see what you wrote, not who you are." In addition,

supervisors do not want to keep asking SROs to rewrite their incident reports. 

Has some college experience

A few programs favor candidates with at least some college experience. According to Chief

Robert Yant in Marshall, "If you're dealing with a school environment, it's a help. In an

educational environment dealing with school personnel who have B.A. degrees, the SRO

needs excellent written and verbal skills. So we treated it like a 'veteran's preference' and

offered five extra points to candidates who had a bachelor's degree." The Tucson program

gives preference to candidates with some college education because, according to a former

supervisor, "that means they are connected to education, and the SROs' work is prevention

more than anything else." 

Has ties to the local community 

In some programs, the SROs were students of the principals in whose schools they are

currently working. In others, they went to school with many of the students' parents. This

familiarity with the school and community facilitated the officers' efforts to establish credibility

and rapport—and secure in-kind contributions to the program. 

• While administrators and teachers in a small program in Kentucky opposed having an

armed officer in their school, their familiarity with and respect for the SRO—who had

attended the school—helped allay their concerns. 

• Glenn Brunet, who grew up in Terrebonne Parish, calls on friends in the local media to

give the school positive publicity by taking and publishing photos of the cheerleaders and

writing favorable articles about the school. 
58 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

The Screening Process

Screening is an attempt to determine whether applicants for a position meet the

criteria for successful job performance. Without careful screening, departments

may assign inappropriate officers to the schools who may not only be

ineffective but also, several programs reported, hamper or set back the program

for months and even years to come. 

However, it is not always easy to determine whether applicants meet the job 

criteria. The matrix below suggests which parts of the screening process SRO 

programs can use to help determine whether candidates meet each criterion. 

Commit Selection Criteria to Paper

Most of the 34 programs included in the study do not have written criteria for who

can qualify as an SRO. Several program participants report that this is a mistake.

Without written criteria, different people involved in deciding whom to approve as

SROs may apply different—even contradictory—criteria. 

In addition, candidates need to have the criteria provided to them in writing, not just

verbally. For the program's pilot year in Schaumburg, Illinois, some candidates

volunteered because they expected the job to be easy and liked the hours. Since

then, fewer officers have applied for the assignment because they now know not

only by word of mouth but also from the written selection criteria that SROs are

required to do extensive teaching and work one-on-one with students—

responsibilities some of them do not want to assume. As a result, only four officers

applied when one SRO's tour expired in 2002.
SRO Program Guide 59

Screening Approaches That Target Each Criterion

Criterion

(1) Likes kids, cares about and wants to 

work with kids, and is able to work 

with kids

(2) Has the right demeanor and people 

skills, including good communication 

skills

(3) Has experience as a patrol officer or 

road deputy

(4) Is able to work independently

(5) Is exceptionally dependable

(6) Is willing to work very hard

(7) Is—or can become—an effective 

teacher

(8) Has above average integrity

Applicable Screening Approaches

• memorandum or letter of interest 

• explanation of expectations of the position

• personnel files

• personal experience with the candidate

• oral interview panel 

• memorandum or letter of interest

• personal experience with the candidate

• oral interview panel 

• conversation with candidate's supervisor 

• conversation with candidate's supervisor

• personnel records

• conversation with candidate's supervisor

• explanation of expectations for the 

position

• oral interview panel 

• conversation with candidate's supervisor

• explanation of expectations for the 

position

• personnel files (history of sick time usage)

• memorandum or letter of interest

• explanation of expectations for the 

position

• personnel files

• conversation with candidate's supervisor

• oral interview panel

• report of having shadowed an SRO to learn the

nature of the work

• memorandum or letter of interest

• explanation of expectations for the 

position

• personnel files

• personal experience with the candidate

• oral interview panel

• personnel files: record of citizen and internal

complaints

• explanation of expectations for the position

• conversation with candidate's supervisor
60 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Use Multiple Screening Procedures

Some programs rely on just one step to screen applicants, but most programs use

two or more of the following approaches:

• require a memorandum of interest;

• talk with current and previous supervisors;

• inform candidates of the expectations for—and drawbacks to—the position;

• examine personnel files; and

• factor in personal experience with the candidate.

In general, the more procedures a program implements, the more likely it will

identify well-qualified candidates. 

Require a Memorandum of Interest 

Most programs require applicants to submit a memorandum or letter of interest

when applying for the position. Applicants to the Tucson program must submit a

memo of interest that addresses their:

• interest in working with youth; 

• previous assignments or experiences that demonstrate their suitability for the

assignment;

• public speaking experience;

• willingness to work flexible hours; and 

• knowledge of the SRO program.

The Fontana, California, program requires a memo of interest that includes:

• number of years the candidate has been in law enforcement;

• number of years with the department;

• any noteworthy achievements as a law enforcement officer;

• prior work history with children;

• volunteer work with the community; and

• letters of recommendation from community members.

Talk With Current and Previous Supervisors

Most programs contact each applicant's current and sometimes previous

supervisor. In most departments, especially smaller ones, supervisors get to know

which officers have at least some of the characteristics needed to become an

effective SRO. 
SRO Program Guide 61

Inform Candidates of the Expectations for—and Drawbacks to—the Position

An SRO with the Delaware State Police program pointed out that "it is important

that the department be clear about the job expectations when selecting SROs so

that applicants know what they will be responsible for before they come on board."

This includes informing them about work conditions that they may find

objectionable, for example, he says, telling them if they will be required frequently

to cover after-school activities. 

The following are among the other important drawbacks that programs should warn

applicants about:

• the need to overcome fears about standing in front of a classroom;

• having to adjust to the personality and wishes of the school principal and 

assistant principal;

• working harder than they ever thought they would;

• living with the jokes and even scorn from some beat officers who consider them

"Kiddie Cops"; and

• being isolated from the rest of the department.

Few programs provide all of this information. However, informing candidates

about these potential drawbacks can help weed out inappropriate officers.

Lieutenant Greg Harrison of Lenoir County, North Carolina, reported that "patrol

deputies think the SRO assignment is 'a piece of cake' and are surprised when I

tell them what they will have to do in the schools which often dissuades them from

applying." 
62 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Examine Personnel and Other Files

A candidate's personnel files can tell a great deal about an officer's or deputy's

suitability to be an SRO.

• Sergeant Lowell Rademacher, program supervisor (now retired), Marshall: "I looked

at whether candidates added to their mandatory training on their own. Jim

[Marshall, the SRO] had been to other courses at his own request and it wasn't a

one-time flash in the pan." 

• Sergeant Jerry Thommes, program supervisor, Schaumburg: "I check on whether

they took courses in juvenile law on their own or were involved with kids on their

own in Explorer Post or coaching, or have been a D.A.R.E. officer."

Supervisors in most programs verify whether the candidate has had any disciplinary

actions over a specified period of time. 

• The Jefferson City, Missouri, program guide specifies that "The officer shall not

have any disciplinary action resulting in at least a minimum suspension during the

previous twelve (12) months." 

• The Boone Police Department in North Carolina requires that candidates have no

suspensions or disciplinary actions within the past two years, and no written

reprimands within the past six months.

Factor in Personal Experience With the Candidates

Sometimes personal experience plays a legitimate part in an SRO's selection. A

school board member and former classroom teacher in one site had seen one of the

candidates teach a D.A.R.E. class that her daughter was in. "I saw ------------ work

with kids and saw the rapport he has with them." As a result, she suggested to the

superintendent of schools that this applicant be picked as the SRO. 

Check for Signs of Enthusiasm for the Position

Finally, a common unstated criterion for the position is the candidate's enthusiasm for

the job. Program personnel usually look for this trait during the individual or panel

interview (see below). But another measure of candidates' seriousness that the

Sarasota County program uses is whether applicants have gone to the trouble to

shadow an SRO to gain an understanding of the position. Some candidates on their

own also make an appointment to talk with program supervisors about the job.

Precisely "to get a leg up on the interview process." When (now) Major Skip Rossi

with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office applied for the position, he made an

appointment in advance to meet with the assistant superintendent who would be on
SRO Program Guide 63

his review panel. (For a dissenting view on this approach, see the Garner, North

Carolina, case study at the end of the chapter.)

Convene an Oral Interview Board or Panel

A number of programs assemble a panel of individuals to interview each candidate.

Proponents of oral boards say the panels can usually reveal more than one-on-one

interviews because they provide an opportunity to assess the candidate's oral

communication skills, motivation, and composure under pressure. Kathleen Weigel,

a high school principal in Palm Beach County, also points out that "there is some

advantage to having several people participating in the interview because they pick

up on different things applicants say or do—body language." 

The discussion below addresses the issues involved in using an oral interview

board. The case studies of the Garner, North Carolina, and Sarasota County,

Florida, programs at the end of the chapter describe in detail how two programs

make use of panels. 

Who Sits on the Board

At a minimum, boards include one or more program first-line supervisors and

another member of the department, such as the commander of the unit in which

the program is housed. Because the program was new, the interview panel in

Marshall included not only the sergeant who would become responsible for

supervising the new SRO but also the sergeant who coordinated the SRO program

in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Including a current SRO on the board can be especially helpful if none of the other

panelists has ever been an SRO. As an SRO with the Delaware State Police said,

"an SRO on the board knows what it takes to do the job" and can evaluate

candidates with this in mind. When its program was just beginning in 1988, the

Maury County Sheriff's Department in Tennessee included an SRO from a

neighboring county on its panel. 

A few programs expand the types of individuals who participate in the screening

process. In Garner, officers who apply for a position are interviewed by a

community panel that includes a parent of a child at the school. To gain community

support for the program, Marshall Police Chief Robert Yant included a paralegal

with the city attorney's office who was also a graduate of the citizen's academy; a

business professor from the local state university; and a mid-manager from the

town's largest employer. Finally, interview panels in most programs include school

administrators (see the discussion below, "Involve School Administrators"). 
64 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Questions Board Members Ask

Most programs that use oral panels rely on previously prepared written questions.

As the box "Sample Oral Panel Interview Questions" suggests, questions

commonly focus on the following areas:

• motivations for applying for the position;

• understanding the role and responsibilities of an SRO;

• an explanation of why the candidate would be effective in the position;

• previous experience relevant to the position, including working with youngsters

and having given verbal presentations or taught classes;

• understanding community policing and its application in the school setting;

• experience working with little direct supervision; 

• willingness to work overtime, including some evenings and weekends; and

• strategies for handling difficult school administrators.

The Schaumburg program asks a number of targeted questions about how the

candidate would behave as an SRO, such as:

• How do you want students to perceive you, and how will that impact their feelings

about police officers in general?

• In what ways do you think you can make yourself visible and available to

students?

• As a teacher . . . , what techniques will you use to keep students interested?

• It is very difficult to get students to come to you; what would you do to build trust?

• What would you say to a staff member who came to you about a discipline issue,

not a legal issue? 

The Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department requires candidates to give a brief

presentation during the panel interview so members can assess the applicants'

teaching ability. A chief of police in another department suggests that the

presentation replicate a class for students and points out that the requirement not

only provides a opportunity for screeners to see a candidate "in the raw" but to see

if the applicant took the time to prepare for the presentation.
SRO Program Guide 65

Sample Oral Panel Interview Questions

Marshall, Minnesota

Job Related Skills/Work Experience

1. Describe your education and training for this position.

2. How has your previous experience prepared you for this position?

Interpersonal Relations

3. Briefly describe an incident or project where you have had to work with others and explain how 

you contributed to the success of the incident or project.

4. As a School Resource Officer, how do you deal with High School aged people who are 

uncooperative or even argumentative?

Communications

5. Explain your experience in making verbal presentations to groups or individuals.

6. You're the first police officer permanently assigned to work within the Marshall School District. 

Some people aren't comfortable with the idea of having a police officer in the schools. How 

would you try to allay those concerns?

Information Analysis and Decision Making

7. A teacher believes that a student has committed a theft on school grounds and directs you to 

arrest the student. What would you do? Explain why.

8. Describe one of the more difficult work-related decisions that you have had to make and explain 

how you did it.

Community Policing

9. Describe Community Policing as you understand it.

10. Explain ways that community policing could be applied in the school environment.

Work Orientation

11. As a School Resource Officer, you will be working with little direct supervision. Discuss your 

experience working with little direct supervision.

12. As a School Resource Officer, your schedule will require you to work evenings and some 

weekends. Discuss your views on flexing your schedule.

Sioux Fall, South Dakota

1. Please discuss what you believe to be the duties and functions of the School Resource Officer.

2. Please discuss why you believe you would be a good School Resource Officer, particularly with 

middle school aged youth, and speak briefly about what you view your strengths and 

weaknesses to be.

3. How has your previous training, education and/or experiences prepared you for this position . . . ?

4. As a School Resource Officer, there are a lot of demands placed on your time both on-duty and 

off . . . You will be attending parent/teacher conferences, multiple organizational meetings, 

working sporting events, dances, concerts, proms, etc. Discuss how this might negatively impact 

you and/or your family personally.

5. As a School Resource Officer, there will be occasions where public presentations before large 

groups of people will be necessary. What experience or training have you had in the area of 

public speaking?

6. What do you feel are the major problems confronting our youth today?

7. Based on the previous question, what solutions might you have to offer and what direction 

should the schools, the police and the community be headed in to confront these problems that 

our youth are faced with?

8. Describe the concept of "Community Policing" as you understand it and how it could be applied 

to the school environment.

9. Some people (teachers, administration, parents, students) are not comfortable with the idea of 

having police officers in the schools. How would you try to ease those concerns? 

10. The principal of your school, who you have an excellent working relationship with, advises you 

that a student has committed a theft on school grounds and directs you to arrest the student. 

What action would you take?
66 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Sample Scenarios Some Oral Boards Present to Candidates

John Morella, an SRO in West Orange, uses several scenarios when he serves on a

panel, such as the following:

• A senior female student walks into your office and says that she is pregnant with

her 25-year-old boyfriend's baby, wants an abortion, but does not want to tell her

parents. 

• A student comes up to you and says, "Jimmy is selling drugs out of his locker, and

there are drugs in there right now."

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department has used the following scenarios:

• A child approaches you and tells you of a crime against them that implicates a

school official. What is your response?

• An assault and battery occurs in your presence, but a school official intervenes

and tells you that they will handle the situation in house. What is your response?

• You are contacted by a teacher who advises you that a student is making

allegations of abuse against his or her parents. What are your responsibilities as

the school resource officer, and what actions will you take?

Several boards ask candidates how they would respond to typical but

problematic scenarios (see the box "Sample Scenarios Oral Boards Present to

Candidates)." The board in Palm Beach County uses "targeted selection"—asking

candidates not to suggest how they would respond to hypothetical scenarios but to

report how they did respond to real life situations—for example, "Tell me about a

time when you had a serious problem with a supervisor. What action did you take,

and what happened as a result?" 

Board members typically look beyond the candidate's answers to examine closely

how the person behaved during the panel interview. For example, written

instructions to board members in Marshall require panelists to assess each

candidate's behavior in terms of:

• Oral Communication Skills (e.g., poor articulation, easily understood),

• Displayed Motivation (e.g., mainly looking for "day job"),

• Composure (e.g., fidgety, very calm and collected), and 

• Appearance (e.g., underdressed, neat and well groomed).
SRO Program Guide 67

Coming to a Decision

Many programs use a formal scoring system for rating each candidate. For example,

Chief Robert Yant in Marshall developed a detailed "School Resource Officer Oral

Interview Rater's Guide" (see appendix A) for evaluating candidates' performance

based on a 1-7 rating for each of 12 dimensions of the oral examination and a 1-4

rating for each of 4 dimensions of observed behavior (see above), for a total of 100

possible points. 

The case studies at the end of the chapter describe the structured scoring systems

that the Garner Police Department and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office use.

Appendix B provides the complete Sarasota County Sheriff's Office scoring

guidelines.

Assigning New SROs to Specific Schools

In many programs, because there is only one opening for an SRO at a given time,

deciding which school a new SRO should be assigned to is not an issue. However, in

some programs several new SROs must be placed among several schools. When

there are openings available at more than one school in Sarasota County, panel

members discuss which applicants would be best suited for each school and, in

particular, for which grade level. In Stark County, after the panel interviews are

complete and the SROs selected, the school superintendents represented on the

panel discuss which candidates would be best for their schools. For example, some

superintendents request deputies who live in their communities or have children in

their schools because they feel these SROs will have "instant buy-in" from

community members. 

Oral Boards Are Not Foolproof

A few supervisors expressed concerns about using oral boards.

• Captain Tim Carney, who oversees the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office's program,

warns that "some officers do poorly on the oral board but end up as good SROs—

and vice versa. One quiet candidate was overlooked twice, but the next time I

talked in depth with his patrol supervisor, who said, 'This guy will run through a wall

for you.' As a result, the panel accepted the officer and today principals love him—

he's a local guy and dedicated."

• Similarly, Sergeant Roger Willey, who runs the Delaware State Police program, is

not sure the oral board process is always effective because "some officers don't do

well in this setting. It's similar to a promotion board, which is very nerve-wracking,

so we may end up eliminating good candidates. To avoid this, we try to keep it

relaxed and less stressful." 
68 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Training Panel Members

A few panel members reported that orienting board members to some of the

subtleties of participating on an oral board could improve the screening process,

especially for first-time panelists. Two sergeants in Sioux Falls attended a National

Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) training for program supervisors

at which "we had the opportunity to do a 'mock' interview using as 'applicants' three

people who were attending a NASRO basic course." 

Involve Schools in Screening Candidates

Many programs have demonstrated the value of making sure that school

administrators are active participants in the screening process.

Why Involve School Administrators

Police administrators and school administrators in programs that have involved

school district and school-level administrators in the screening process report that

the administrators' participation helps (1) match SROs properly with

individual schools and (2) increase acceptance of the program and the SROs

among school personnel. 

• In Lakewood, Colorado, Sergeant Patricia Heffner admitted that the police

department had originally not been keen on inviting school personnel but sees

the value now. "By participating, the school administrators are 'buying' into their

SRO—and they have less room to complain if it does not end up working out."

• The memorandum of agreement signed by each local school board and the Stark

County Sheriff's Office calls for "joint selection" of the SROs. The sheriff offered

the school districts a significant role because the administrators had suspicions

about the program—they were not sure they wanted a deputy in the schools

because they were concerned it could be a negative experience. As a result, the

sheriff wanted to take the initiative in giving them the opportunity to participate in

decision making related to the program rather than dictate to them. A group of

school administrators, alongside officials from the sheriff's department,

interviewed each of the 14 candidates who applied for the newly created

positions. 

• Captain Curtis Main of the Boone Police Department said that school

representatives involved in the screening process have raised issues the

department representatives on the board did not consider. For example, they

drew out from one candidate that he had refused to teach the D.A.R.E. curriculum

because he did not believe in the program. 
SRO Program Guide 69

Ward Nelson, a middle school principal and coordinator of the Schaumburg

program, believes that "It is critical to involve the schools in the screening because,

if the department sends us someone, we still worry [after several years of working

with well-qualified SROs] whether it will be the right type of person." 

As suggested above, school administrators frequently want SROs with

specific characteristics that they feel will make the officers most effective in

their particular schools. 

• In collaboration with Major Rick Perez of the sheriff's office, each school

superintendent in Stark County prepared his or her own written job description for

the SRO for his or her schools. Perez keeps the descriptions on file in his office. 

• The Plain View School District superintendent of schools in Oklahoma County

who served as the school representative for officer screening and selection

interviewed between 10-20 officers for the initial five slots. With so few adult role

models for minority students in her district, she wanted at least one AfricanAmerican or Hispanic officer placed there. She also believed it best to have one

male and one female SRO available to her students. 

Ways of Involving School Administrators

The most common way school administrators participate in the screening

process is through the oral interview panel. A case study at the end of the

chapter describes the Sarasota County's procedure for involving the school district

in the panels' work. In a few programs, administrators also participate in developing

the panels' screening criteria. 

A sometimes contentious issue is whether schools should have veto power

over which candidates are chosen. In most sites, the chief or sheriff maintains

ultimate power over which officers or deputies will be accepted into the program. A

West Orange high school principal contends, however, that, if the SRO program

has goals beyond police suppression, principals should hold some veto power in

hiring decisions. After all, he points out, the principal has daily responsibility for the

welfare of all students with whom the officer will interact. Reflecting this position,

school district panelists in Sarasota County may veto the appointment of a

candidate. Similarly, school administrators in King County, Washington, can reject

an officer whom the sheriff's department recommends because, according to the

program coordinator, "If there is bad chemistry between an SRO and school staff,

the program is doomed. We don't want to force an SRO down anyone's throat, so if

a school doesn't want a particular officer, we find another candidate until we get

one everyone agrees is a good fit." Occupying a middle ground, another program

allows individual school principals to reject candidates for their schools but not for

the program as a whole.
70 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Implement Several Screening Methods

Some programs use multiple screening methods in an attempt to select the most

qualified candidates as SROs. For example, the Boone Police Department requires

the following steps:

(1) a letter of intent to apply to the captain in charge of the program;

(2) a review of the officer's past performance review;

(3) a psychological exam if it has been more than three years since the last 

exam;

(4) a discussion with the officer's current supervisor;

(5) a review of this information by a management team member;

(6) an interview with a management team;

(7) a discussion about the candidate between the captain and the school super

intendent and principals; and

(8) an interview with the captain and school representatives during which any 

issues raised by the school representatives are addressed.

* * *

As illustrated in the case studies below, both the Garner, North Carolina, and

Sarasota County, Florida, programs use multiple screening procedures. 

—The Garner Police Department uses a four-stage process that includes a 

physical examination, written examination, oral interview panel, and the 

applicant's score on his or her two previous department appraisal periods. 

—The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office's screening approach includes a highly 

structured oral interview panel with written questions and an established 

scoring procedure.
SRO Program Guide 71

Case Study: Garner, North Carolina, Police Department (53 sworn)

The experience of the Garner Police Department, with only 53 sworn officers in a

town of 20,000, suggests that even relatively small law enforcement agencies and

jurisdictions can develop, document in writing, and implement a thorough screening

process. The department also takes an unusual approach that requires applicants

and screeners to avoid any contact before the oral interview. 

The screening process in Garner begins with a memo of interest from the applicant

and a letter of recommendation from his or her current supervisor. Applicants then

go through a four-part screening process, each of which contributes a certain

number of points to an applicant's score for a total of up to 325 points. As

described below, the program gives each candidate a three-page set of instructions

for how to prepare for each step in the screening process. 

(1) Police Officer Physical Abilities Test (possible 25 points) 

The preparation instructions given to candidates for the physical test informs them

to start drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day two or three days before the

test day and to warm up at least 3-5 minutes immediately before the test begins.

Candidates earn points according to the total time it takes them to complete the

test (based on standards established by the North Carolina Training and Standards

Division), with final times in minutes and seconds subtracted from the maximum

possible 25 points. For example, if the tests take them 8 minutes to complete, they

earn 17 points (25-8). The tests—the same ones required for department

applicants—range from running up stairs, to catching someone upright to prevent

injury, to subduing a person resisting arrest.

(2) Written Exercise (possible 100 points)

Applicants review a 2-3-minute video depicting law enforcement dilemmas and are

given a fixed amount of time to provide a hand-written narrative "story" solving

them. An outside education consultant grades the papers based on 11 criteria,

including proper punctuation and vocabulary, correct spelling and grammar,

appropriate support and elaboration of the points being made, and logical

presentation of ideas. 
72 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

(3) Oral Interview Panel (possible 100 points) 

Instructions to candidates tell them to be prepared to answer questions on some or

all of seven topics, ranging from juvenile arrest, detention, and investigation

procedures, to department policy and procedures related to SRO duties, to conflict

management. A community panel consisting of the program supervisor, SROs, the

principal of the school to which the new SRO will be assigned, and a parent of a

child at the school interviews each candidate. The department's public information

officer briefs the panelists beforehand and provides them with a list of questions to

ask and instructions for scoring responses (see the box "The Garner Police

Department's Interview Panel Questions"). Panel members rotate asking the

questions.

Before a candidate appears before the panel, the program supervisor requires the

applicant to sign a statement attesting that he or she has read the nine "Interview

Guidelines" that explain the panel interview process, such as:

• Panel members may NOT [emphasis in the original] elaborate, provide

clarification for or outline examples related to any question.

• Panel members may only repeat questions verbatim and only when asked by

you. [emphasis in the original]

• The same answer cannot be given for more than one question.

• The interview is being recorded on video (to review candidate answers if

necessary for scoring).
SRO Program Guide 73

(4) Average of Previous Two Performance Appraisal Periods (possible 100 

points) 

Prior performance evaluations constitute nearly one-third of the total points a

candidate can score. Garner police officers are evaluated annually on a point

scale, with 100 a perfect score. The program averages the applicant's previous

two evaluations so that, for example, if an officer scored an 80 and a 90, he or

should would get 85 points toward the total SRO screening score. 

The program uses the total scores to rank candidates. The chief makes the final

selection. Candidates who earn more than 162 points and are not selected are

placed on an eligibility list for the following year. The program provides applicants

with their final screening results, as well as an analysis of their performance and

strategies, so they can improve their performance in the future if they reapply.

The Garner Police Department's Interview Panel Questions

(1) Can you provide us with an example, while employed as a police officer, in

which you worked to improve the quality of life for those in our community? 

(1) What was the situation, (2) what did you do, and (3) what was the

outcome? (25 possible points)

(2) Can you provide us with any life situation that illustrates your ability to resolve 

conflict effectively? (1) What was the situation, (2) what did you do, (3) what 

was the outcome? (25 points)

(3) Can you tell us about a life situation you encountered which illustrates your 

ability to receive criticism constructively? (1) Why were you criticized? (2) 

What did you do about it? (3) What was the outcome? (25 points)

(4) What have you done, if anything, to prepare for this assignment and 

why? (10 points)

(5) Can you provide one example, as a police officer, that demonstrates your 

creativity in locating or providing needed resources? (15 points)

Applicants and Panelists in Garner Are Not Allowed to Contact Each Other

The instructions for the screening process that the police department gives to all candidates prohibits

them from seeking advice from anyone currently involved in the selection process, including program

supervisors and the principal of the school with the vacancy. The department has candidates and

panelists sign a statement confirming that the parties do not know each other. The department's

purpose in making this requirement is to maintain the integrity and objectivity of the selection process.
74 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Department (500 sworn)

While the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office SRO program does not use written criteria

for screening SRO candidates, in other respects the program uses a comprehensive

procedure for making sure that it selects well-qualified officers as SROs.

Screening Criteria

According to the contract between the sheriff's office and the school district, SRO

applicants must volunteer for the position, preferably have at least three years of law

enforcement experience, and have an Associate of Arts or Science degree or the

equivalent in credit hours. A Bachelor of Arts degree is preferred. (In the 1980s, the

program required candidates to have a B.A. degree so they could be on an equal

footing with teachers and administrators, but the requirement was dropped because

not enough candidates had the degree.)

Panelists who serve on the oral board that screens candidates (see below) apply their

own individual (and unwritten) criteria to the selection process. 

• Captain Tim Carney, the youth services bureau commander, who serves on all

panels, looks especially for the following characteristics:

—ability to work with kids;

—personality—adaptability to the principal, ability to be diplomatic—"you're working 

for two bosses"; and

—understanding the triad concept—counseling and teaching as well as law 

enforcement. 

• A high school principal, Daniel Parrett, who has served on several panels, uses the

following criteria:

—can get along with students—"not Sergeant Rock who stays in his office or on a 

pedestal looking down on people";

—someone who will participate with kids and go into classes; and 

—someone who can help him "like a locker room lawyer." 

• An elementary school principal, Christopher Renouf, who has served on two panels

looks for:

—flexibility—the ability to switch from doing one thing to another, "especially at the 

elementary level where you have to keep stopping what you're doing to attend to 

something else";

—integrity/honesty/trustworthiness—"walking the walk—if you preach to kids, you 

have to role model what you preach with them and with parents—you have to be a 

very ethical, moral person"; and 

—dependability—"kids want to see that the SRO will be there regularly."
SRO Program Guide 75

Panel members also consider whether applicants took the initiative to

shadow any SROs on their own. According to one of the three program

supervisors, Detective Sergeant Tim Enos, "I check to see if applicants asked if

they might spend a half day or day before the oral board shadowing an SRO to see

what the job entails—if they did, this suggests a level of commitment to the

position." On one occasion, after the last candidate had been interviewed, Enos

reported that one applicant had taken the initiative to visit three schools to shadow

their SROs. The candidate also came to the office to talk about the position with

the captain. Shadowing turns out to be a useful screening method. "Some

applicants," Enos says, "drop their application after shadowing shows them the job

isn't for them." Enos calls the applicants' supervisors to confirm that they have a

good record and would be effective as SROs, and reports what he learns to the

panel. 

Screening Process

The agreement between the sheriff's office and the school board requires the

superintendent of schools and the sheriff's office to appoint two members

each to a School Resource Officer Personnel Board "which shall have as its

sole function the recruitment, interviewing and evaluation of School Resource

Officers." As openings occur, the bureau assembles a board that includes the

principal or assistant principal of the school with the vacancy, the superintendent of

student services, one or more of the three program supervisors, and the youth

services bureau commander, Captain Tim Carney. 

Before each interview, one of the sergeants provides an overview of the

candidate's history with the department. Then the applicant comes in. One panelist

asks the applicant the first of ten written questions (see the box "Panel Members in

Sarasota County Ask Candidates 10 Questions") and the applicant answers;

another panelist asks the second question—and the applicant answers that

question; and so on until all the questions have been asked. (Occasionally, a panel

member asks a question not on the written list, usually as a follow-up to something

the candidate has said.) The applicant is then asked if he or she has anything else

to contribute and leaves. Panel members take three or four minutes to rate in

writing the candidate's answer to each question on a scale from one to four

(appendix B provides a copy of the Evaluation & Scoring Guidelines). The entire

process takes about 25 minutes. Then the sergeant gives a brief overview of the

second candidate, and the process is repeated. 
76 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs

Panel Members in Sarasota County Ask Candidates 10 Questions

1. Why are you interested in a Youth Service Bureau [i.e., SRO] position? 

2. What do you think the role of a School Resource Officer is?

3. What are you looking for in a job?

4. The Youth Service Bureau receives many after hours and weekend assignments. Would 

you be willing to schedule your time to assist with these events?*

5. How were you different than most of your co-workers?

6. What words or phrase would your last supervisor use to describe you?

7. Describe your best achievement and how you accomplished it.

• What was the achievement?

• How did you go about it?

• How much effort did you put in?

• What obstacles did you encounter?

• How did you overcome them?

• What was the result?

8. Describe the biggest project that you had to see through from beginning to end

• How did you coordinate the necessary activities?

• How did you monitor progress?

• What obstacles did you encounter?

• How did you overcome them?

9. What is your experience in regard to teaching or lecturing in front of children and adults?

10. Please give us a brief overview of yourself and your career.

* A few years ago, the program changed some of the questions. In the past, the board focused

on the applicants' interest in kids, but supervisors saw the need to make sure they accepted

only applicants who were willing to work overtime for the program. To revise the questions, the

supervisors worked with the sheriff's office human resources department, which had recently

improved the questions asked of people applying to be correctional officers with the

department.
SRO Program Guide 77

Panel members do not vote but instead read their ratings and then discuss the

applicants' qualifications. They usually reach a consensus on the best candidate(s).

At the end of one board meeting, panelists concluded that some candidates:

• were objectively more qualified than others, for example:

—they had been working with kids in some fashion even though they 

were patrol deputies, or 

—they had taught school in a previous career;

• appeared more motivated and enthusiastic than the others, for example:

—they did not appear to simply want to get out of their current posting, or 

—they seemed to express a genuine interest in the work of an SRO;

• had a better demeanor than the others, for example:

—they did not take for granted that they would get the position, or 

—they made a strong effort to try to present themselves as highly qualified;

• answered the questions better than the others, for example:

—Question: "What do you think the role of a School Resource Officer is? 

Answer: "You have to check your macho image at the door [of the school] 

and do whatever it takes [to help the kids—which the candidate then followed 

—by giving examples of what SROs need to do for kids]." 

When there are openings available at more than one school, panel members

discuss which applicants are best suited for which grade level.

Both the sheriff's office and school district panelists may veto the selection

of a candidate. According to Robyn Marinelli, the school district supervisor of

student services who has attended almost every oral panel, "School

representatives have veto power because otherwise the program would not work."

There have been instances in which a principal has vetoed an SRO for his or her

school. On one occasion a high school principal did not have a good feeling about

an officer, but there were always other acceptable candidates competing for the

position. 
78 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 3: Screening SROs
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SRO Program Guide 89

SRO Program Guide 91

Many SROs have remained in their positions for years-over 10 years in some sites.

Several middle-aged SROs report they hope to stay in the schools until they retire. 

However, many programs have experienced problems with turnover. One school

district had five different SROs in less than three years. Of course, unavoidable

circumstances sometimes result in turnover, including promotions and retirements. In

one site, four different SROs in four years all quit the same school because of an

unbearably authoritarian principal. However, high turnover may also reflect officer

"burnout" or disenchantment with the position that programs can often prevent or

resolve. 

Methods of Keeping Effective SROs on the Job

Minimizing turnover among SROs is important because replacing an SRO makes the

program less effective for several months and even years as the new officer

learns how to do the job. Sergeant Richard Davies, a former SRO in Pine Bluff,

Arkansas, said, "The first year [as an SRO], all I did was break up fights and arrest

students; the second, I did a lot of teaching; and the third, everything fell into place." In

addition, school staff and students must begin the process all over again of learning to

trust and rely on a new SRO. Coping with a new—and possibly inadequately trained—

SRO may also "sour" administrators on the entire program based on that one poor

relationship.

The discussion below identifies common reasons program supervisors and SROs give

for why SROs lose interest in the position followed by approaches some programs

have implemented to address the problem. However, the most effective approach to

retaining good SROs is to take a variety of complementary steps that, in

combination, are much more likely to encourage qualified SROs to remain in the

position than any single step aimed at retention can achieve. 

THE PROBLEM: The officers were misfits from the outset. Many SROs quit

because they were poorly suited for the job from the beginning. They may not have

understood the true nature of the job or they may have applied for the wrong

reasons—typically, just to be able to work daytime weekday hours. 

SOLUTIONS: Recruit, screen, train, and supervise SROs carefully.

(1) Inform officers during recruitment about the drawbacks to the position

they may not have considered (see the box on next page and chapter 2, 

"Recruiting SROs"). 

(2) Implement thorough screening procedures to help make sure that only 

officers who are likely to succeed in the position are selected as SROs. 

Chapter 3, "Screening SROs," provides a variety of suggestions for helping 

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover Among SROs
92 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

to ensure that only officers who are likely to enjoy and be good in the posi

tion are assigned to it. For example, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office 

and the Delaware State Police encourage would be SROs to shadow 

existing SROs. According to Tim Enos, an SRO supervisor with the Sarasota

County program, "some applicants drop their application after shadowing 

shows them the job isn't for them." 

(3) Provide timely and adequate training and supervision. Some SROs who 

apply for the position for the wrong reasons and start out as misfits can still 

be "salvaged" if the department trains them before they go into the schools 

and then supervises them carefully. Even SROs who apply for the position 

for all the "right" reasons can become disillusioned and decide to quit if they,

too, are not adequately trained and supervised from the beginning. The lack 

of training and supervision can create stressful uncertainty about how to do 

the job, while poor performance can result in negative reactions from 

administrators, faculty, students, and parents that will discourage almost any 

SRO from continuing in the position. Chapter 5, "Training SROs," and 

chapter 6, "Supervising SROs," suggest how programs have been able to 

train and monitor SROs effectively so the officers feel confident they can do 

a good job. 

Drawbacks to Being an SRO That Programs Should Explain to Candidates 

To help avoid assigning officers to the schools who are ill equipped to remain in the

job, tell them during the screening process that they will need to:

• serve multiple constituencies—school administrators, faculty, students, parents,

and the police or sheriff's department—with different backgrounds and

relationships to the SRO

• perform many—even a majority of—duties not traditionally associated with being a

law enforcement officer, such as monitoring the cafeteria during lunch or

counseling troubled kids

• live with the fact that their "beat" is reduced from a precinct or county to a school

and its parking lot

• overcome fears about standing in front of a classroom

• attend after-school and (in some cases) weekend events that on occasion may

prevent them from attending their own families' events 

• be willing to work harder than they ever thought the position would require—or

harder than they ever worked as patrol officers 

• accept being isolated in many respects from the rest of the department
SRO Program Guide 93

THE PROBLEM: Conflict with school administrators. There will almost inevitably

be some initial conflicts between SROs and school administrators, but usually these

problems get ironed out and both parties settle into a comfortable working

relationship. However, in some cases the conflicts do not subside and even escalate.

For example, in Stark County, Ohio, two SROs wanted to go back to regular patrol in

part because the administrators persistently tried to deal with criminal matters by

themselves and excluded the deputies from the process.

SOLUTIONS: Take steps to prevent and reduce SRO-administrator disputes.

(1) Get administrator cooperation early. As Sergeant Patricia Heffner, the 

supervisor of the Lakewood, Colorado, Police Department's SRO program 

pointed out, "including school officials in the screening process creates 

'buy— in' to the individual officer . . . " as well as understanding and 

increased acceptance of the program concept. In addition, provide a formal 

orientation to the program for principals and assistant principals—all the 

SROs in one program reported that "We needed more orientation for 

administrators"— because many administrators know little about what the 

program's goals are, what legal responsibilities and limitations police operate 

under, or how schools can make the best use of an officer in their schools. 

During the orientation, explain the program's benefits to principals and 

assistant principals, including:

•an immediate response to incidents requiring police intervention;

•an increase in everyone's sense of security and actual safety;

•having reduced burden for handling serious student misconduct; and

•help with preparing security assessments and emergency plans. 

(2) Train SROs to work with administrators. A few SROs report that officers 

cannot be taught how to work with administrators— that is something they can

learn only on the job. However, most SROs feel that some training in 

advance can reduce at least some of the conflict and is definitely better than 

"throwing the SROs to the wolves" with no orientation at all. Chapter 5, 

"Training SROs," describes how several programs have been able to train 

SROs before they go into the schools. One principal suggested having an 

experienced SRO and administrator team up to give a presentation to new 

SROs about how to develop an effective partnership.
94 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

(3) Arrange for each new SRO to meet before the school year begins or 

shortly thereafter with his or her school administrators to discuss their

mutual roles and expectations in an effort to avoid unnecessary 

frustrations—and job dissatisfaction on the part of the officer—related to 

lack of clarity about their respective rights and responsibilities. For example, 

a number of school administrators cited SRO time away from the school as 

a cause of frustration. In some cases, the administrator was not aware of the

SRO's competing demands, such as court appearances and covering other 

schools in a crisis. 

(4) Make sure the memorandum of agreement between the law enforcement 

agency and the school district spells out in detail the respective 

responsibilities of the SRO and the school. Without this clarity, school 

administrators and faculty may overburden the SRO or express 

frustration when the officer cannot meet their every request. To avoid 

such misunderstandings, the contract between the Sarasota County, Florida,

Sheriff's Office and the school district, for example, states that "The SRO is 

not to be used for regularly assigned lunchroom duties, hall monitors, bus 

duties or other monitoring duties." The box "Areas of SRO and School 

Responsibility That Need Addressing" lists most of the most important areas 

of responsibility that programs need to spell out in an effort to minimize 

future conflict. To supplement its contracts with school districts, the King 

County Sheriff's Office developed an informational memo for school 

administrators and SROs specifically describing the program's goals and 

expectations, such as specifying that:

• A typical SRO shift is an eight-hour day, Monday through Friday, 0730-1530 hours

. . . . . The SRO will be required to obtain prior approval from a supervisor for any

overtime where exigent circumstances do not exist . . . .

• Beginning and ending shift times can be flexed up to four hours; anything outside

these hours requires time and a half overtime pay.
SRO Program Guide 95

Areas of SRO and School Responsibility That Need Addressing

• the role various parties will play in screening and selecting candidates for SRO positions

(e.g., will school administrators participate in the screening process? be allowed to veto a

candidate?)

• providing office space and materials for SROs at the schools (e.g., computer, secure filing

cabinets, telephone, refrigerator) 

• training that the SROs will attend before going on the job (e.g., juvenile law), soon after going

on the job (e.g., teaching), and later on as part of in-service training (e.g., dealing with

bullying), and who will pay for it

• specific hours and days of the week SROs are expected to be on campus

• occasions when SROs will be excused from being on campus (e.g., to appear in court) and

who will excuse them

• the notification process when an SRO cannot come to work (e.g., due to illness or family

emergency)

• providing a substitute officer when the regular SRO cannot be on campus

• activities that are considered to be overtime (e.g., providing security at after-school athletic

events), who may request and approve the overtime, who will pay for it, the officers' options for

refusing it, and the option of providing "flex time" (e.g., SRO comes in late to work the next

morning)

• in instances when an officer has legal discretion, who makes the decision to arrest (or cite) or

not arrest (or cite) a student who has broken the law, what the procedure will be for making the

decision, and what happens if the officer and school administrator disagree (e.g., over a school

rule violation that is also minor criminal or civil infraction, such as possession of cigarettes or

verbal bullying)

• under what circumstances SROs will or may handcuff students whom they arrest and allow

other students to see the handcuffed students being escorted off campus

• beyond what the law requires (e.g., need for a parent to be present if the student is underage),

under what circumstances SROs may question students under both noncustodial conditions

and pursuant to an arrest, conduct pat downs and searches, and detain individuals

• contacting parents directly (e.g., after an arrest, to discuss an at-risk student)

• access to confidential student records

• transporting students (e.g., take them home to pick up forgotten medication, bring a truant

student to school) 
96 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

Areas of SRO and School Responsibility That Need Addressing (cont.)

• disciplining students for breaking school rules (e.g., for not adhering to the dress code,

swearing) and the procedures to be followed

• acting regularly, as needed, or only in an emergency as monitors or security staff (e.g.,

during lunch, class breaks, assemblies, bus arrivals and departures)

• traffic control responsibilities

• teaching responsibilities, required and permitted topics (e.g., drug education, bullying, gang

involvement), and procedures for arranging to teach a class (e.g., SRO may arrange directly

with teachers)

• addressing truancy and, if so, the procedure (e.g., call parents? go to the student's home to

encourage him or her to come to school?)

• engaging only in law-related counseling or also helping students with personal problems

• the procedure if an SRO believes a student is a danger to him— or herself or to others in the

school or community (e.g., a student expresses suicidal thoughts)

• providing law-related counseling to school personnel (e.g., victims of domestic violence)

• investigating possible criminal behavior on the part of school personnel (e.g., sexual

harassment)

• developing, revising, and implementing safe school plans (e.g., conduct a Crime Prevention

Through Environmental Design [CPTED] survey) and critical incident response strategies

(e.g., who can order a lock down?)

• meetings and events, if any, SROs will be required, allowed, or forbidden to attend (e.g., PTA

meetings, faculty meetings, school assemblies, band practice)

• working in uniform or civilian clothes and carrying a sidearm while on campus 

• written weekly or monthly reports or logs and their distribution

• contacts SROs may have with the media (e.g., after a critical incident, to solicit a newspaper

article on students' using "Fatal Vision" goggles to simulate alcohol impairment)

• engaging in fund raising and, if so, what kinds (e.g., selling pizzas or doing a car wash to

raise money to send students to a Youth Crime Watch conference)

• Evaluating SRO Performance by whom, how often, following what procedures, and using what

criteria
SRO Program Guide 97

Program supervisors and SROs should keep these agreed-upon duties and

responsibilities readily available to show to people who expect them to perform

tasks that are outside their responsibility. For example, when a principal in Sarasota

County wanted his SRO to be on campus every day from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., a

supervising sergeant referred the administrator to the contract, which identifies the

hours as 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Programs also need to recirculate the description

of SRO responsibilities at least annually to school administrators and to each new

principal or assistant principal.

(5) Make sure school administrators and faculty tell SROs what a good job

they are doing. Some SROs report they find enough job satisfaction when 

school administrators treat them as valued members of their "team." 

• According to Major Skip Rossi, now Administrative Division commander 

with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, "I turned down a promotion to 

corporal [which would have required him to stop being an SRO] because my

status on campus was that of an assistant principal, and that fed my ego 

enough [for several years]." 

• According to chief James Kelly in Palm Beach County, Florida, SROs "don't

get burned out the way some teachers do because, unlike faculty, SROs are

in control and get rewards from seeing kids improve. Also, SROs get 

constant positive feedback from staff." 

The point is not to leave these compliments from administrators and teachers to

chance; program coordinators need to explain to administrators and faculty about

how important it is for them to tell their SROs how much they are appreciated. For

example, the schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia, have SRO appreciation days and

host an appreciation brunch each year to honor the SROs. 

(6) Allow SROs who do not get along with their school administrators to 

transfer to another school at the end of the academic year. SRO José 

Cuellar in Palm Beach County said that his police chief has been very fair in 

accommodating officers requesting a change to be closer to home or to work

in a different school. However, Kelly says that he will switch SROs who dis

like their schools only two times; "the third time," he notes, "it's the SRO's 

problem"—that is, the fault lies not with the school or its administrators but 

with the officer. The Jefferson City, Missouri, program guide specifically 

allows for SROs to transfer when a vacancy occurs provided that school 

administrators, the superintendent of schools, the administrative captain, and

the chief of police all agree.
98 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

THE PROBLEM: Feeling isolated from the rest of the department. Confined to

their schools all day, some SROs express frustration at having little or no contact

any more with other department personnel, eventually coming to feel that they are

no longer a part of the force. SRO Kiel Higgins with the Albuquerque, New Mexico,

Police Department, said, "You can get to feel left out of the department with no

contact with regular officers." An SRO in the West Orange, New Jersey, Police

Department sees his irregular contact with the department as "the one negative" to

his assignment. He regrets the loss of rapport with the troops that he maintained

more easily around the station house. "It's in your blood—that's why you became a

cop. SROs have to switch gears and become someone else." In rural areas, the

remote location of a program's participating schools can limit the SROs' interaction

with other police personnel even further. 

SOLUTIONS: Take steps to keep SROs integrated with the rest of the 

department.

(1) Encourage or require SROs to go back to patrol during the summer. In 

addition to preventing SROs from losing their street skills, this enables 

SROs to interact again with other patrol officers. However, if SROs have to 

spend the summer on the swing or night shift, are given rotating shifts, or 

are assigned to work weekends, they may feel that losing their highly 

desirable weekday schedule is not worth the opportunity to regain contact 

with patrol officers. Furthermore, school administrators may want the 

officers at their schools year round.

(2) Require SROs to attend roll call at least periodically. Program supervisors 

in the Chula Vista Police Department require SROs to go to the day shift 

patrol roll call every Wednesday morning (although one police chief 

suggests periodically changing the day of the week so that students do not 

know in advance when their schools will be uncovered). In addition, on 

Fridays two SROs on a rotating basis work together in teams with regular 

patrol officers. Program supervisors in the Boone, North Carolina, Police 

Department require SROs to come to the police department at some point 

each day to check their messages to help ensure they remain a part of 

patrol. 

(3) Require SROs to participate in all departmentwide training. However, 

programs need to weigh the drawbacks of taking the SROs out of their 

schools to attend the training against the advantages of making them feel a 

part of the department, giving them the opportunity to resume contact with 

patrol officers, and offering the benefits of the training itself.
SRO Program Guide 99

(4) Encourage SROs to take the initiative to remain in touch with other

officers.

• One SRO said he decided [on his own] "to come to the office at the 

beginning and end of every day and sometimes during the day."

• To avoid feeling left out, if something "goes down" near his school such as a 

traffic accident, SRO Kiel Higgins in Albuquerque deliberately races over to 

help handle it in part so he can interact with the sector officers. Higgins also 

works overtime with patrol officers every Friday and Saturday night to help 

them respond to calls regarding loud parties.

• A few SROs stay with, or join, the SWAT team to keep in touch with other 

officers. One SRO reported he remains on the SWAT team in part because 

"It's an elite group with a great esprit de corps" (see below).

(5) Explain the program to patrol officers to dispel myths associated with 

the position. The Lakewood Police Department developed an internal SRO 

program bulletin—"Calls from the Halls"—in part to address a communication 

breakdown that was occurring between SROs and other officers (see the 

box "Excerpts From a Lakewood Police Department . . . . Bulletin"). The 

program supervisor believes the bulletin has helped dispel some of the 

stereotypes about the SROs' work as well as prompted discussions between 

the SROs and patrol officers about at-risk youth and trends in student

misconduct. 

(6) Single out effective SROs for public commendation. Many law 

enforcement officers complain that the only time their supervisors single 

them out is to criticize their mistakes. Some programs buck this trend by 

regularly ensuring that the entire department knows about SROs who are 

doing a good job.

• The Lakewood program's "Calls from the Halls" bulletin not only dispels 

myths about SRO work but also helps ensure that other personnel are aware 

of the officers' success stories.

• The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office StarTrac meetings, where commanders 

report on their units' progress and problems and top administrators ask 

follow-up questions (see the case study at the end of chapter 6, "Supervising 

SROs"), are not only an accountability tool, they also provide an opportunity 

for line officers to have their work recognized and complimented. At one 

meeting, after Captain Tim Carney, the program supervisor, read letters 

praising the work of three SROs who attended the meeting, the sheriff got up 

and walked over to shake their hands in front of every major in the agency. 
100 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

• An elementary school principal sent Frank Scialdone, chief of the Fontana,

California, Police Department, a letter commending "on behalf of myself, the

students and the staff" an SRO's performance at an assembly. Scialdone sent a

copy of the letter to the SRO with the notation, "Outstanding job. Thanks for all

you do for our kids. You are making a difference. Frank Scialdone."

Excerpts From a Lakewood Police Department SRO Bulletin,

"Calls from the Halls"

The Lakewood Police Department distributes an occasional bulletin, "Calls from the Halls," to all

patrol officers to:

• inform the officers of the arrests SROs have made, 

• provide updates about the program, and 

• share important information about problem juveniles.

Excerpts from typical bulletins follow (all of which—although deleted in the excerpts below—provide

the offending students' names, dates of birth, and home addresses, and sometimes their

photographs).

In December ____ ,[the SRO] made use of his computer internet education by seeking out

information on how to build bombs . . . . Some of the information he was seeking included:

Making plastic explosives from bleach, how to pick locks . . . . , letter bombs . . . . , napalm,

exploding light bulbs among others. ____ has been diagnosed as bi-polar, but he refuses to take

his medication. On ________, Agent [the SRO] had a second encounter with ____ [who had]

violated his school contract by arguing with a teacher and subsequently punching and kicking

lockers . . . . While escorting ____ off of school grounds, ___ was very argumentative and hostile

to Agent _________. [The SRO] feels that ________ is the most dangerous and volatile student

has had contact with . . . . Please use caution when dealing with ________.

Spring time either brings out love or brawls. The kids were back in school after spring break all of

20 minutes when the first fight broke out. There have been numerous fights and assaults ever

since. Please don't hesitate to call Agent ____ [the SRO] with information regarding any evening

or weekend disturbances involving ____ [name of school] students.

Patrol responded to a reported fight in progress. They arrested _______ for 2nd degree assault

after he struck the victim in the back several times with a bat. 

Be alert and aware of:

___________ is a registered sex offender. _____ was 'hanging around' the kids at _____ Middle

School after school let out. He was wearing a trench coat in 95 degree weather. . . . [T]here is

concern he is preying upon the students. He speaks with a South African accent, although he

states he was born and raised in Colorado. He is very short and blends in with the kids. If ______

is contacted on or near school grounds, or if he is with a younger teenager or child, please

investigate, document and notify his case worker.
SRO Program Guide 101

(7) Create esprit within the unit. In Maury County, Tennessee, where most 

SROs have been part of the program since its inception, the department has 

worked hard to establish camaraderie among the officers by hosting weekly 

meetings with all the SROs and sending them every year to the state SRO 

association's annual conference. One of the SROs reported that he 

attributes the low turnover in his unit to "the fact that the SROs enjoy their 

work and have gotten to know each other real well, which helps increase job 

satisfaction."

THE PROBLEM: The position is seen as a dead end job.

SOLUTIONS: Ensure that the department values the program and the position,

and treats it as a stepping stone for career advancement.

(1) Several departments make clear that officers and deputies who have been 

SROs are better candidates for promotion if they continue in the position 

long enough to demonstrate their capabilities to do it well.

• According to Captain Curtis Main, supervisor of the Boone, North 

Carolina, program, "The position can be part of one's professional 

development because it increases your qualifications and aptitudes." 

• SROs consider the program in the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Police 

Department to be "a good way to jump start a career" because it 

includes so many benchmarks for career advancement in the 

department, such as experience as an instructor and involvement 

with juveniles.

(2) Many programs provide resources to the program that demonstrate how 

much they value its efforts. A sergeant from the Montgomery County 

Sheriff's Office in North Carolina believes his department's low turnover in 

part reflects his efforts to accommodate SRO requests for training and 

equipment (e.g., laptop computers), "which demonstrates that the 

department is 100 percent behind the SRO program." 

THE PROBLEM: Lack of excitement. As Major Skip Rossi with the Sarasota County

Sheriff's Office and a former SRO said, "Being an SRO doesn't provide the same

excitement as being on patrol." 

SOLUTIONS: Take specific steps to keep the job stimulating.

(1) Allow SROs to remain members of other units in the department—or 

encourage them to join one. 
102 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

• The SRO cited above who continues as a member of the SWAT team 

because it keeps him feeling "like I'm a cop" added that, if he had to 

choose between remaining an SRO and giving up the SWAT team (which 

primarily entails day—long trainings two Mondays a month-call-outs are 

rare and usually at night), he would give up being an SRO. Steve Malisos, 

an SRO in Salem, New Hampshire, is also on the SWAT team because "I 

like keeping my hand in traditional law enforcement—and the schools love 

it, knowing that I am highly trained in dealing with a critical incident." Of 

course, SROs, program supervisors, and school administrators must 

balance the disadvantage of these officers not being on campus a few 

extra days of the year (even if a substitute SRO is provided) against 

getting SWAT skills in the school.

• The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office allows its SROs during the summer 

to attend patrol training, serve warrants, serve in the courthouse, or attend 

training as hostage negotiators or public information officers. One SRO 

was trying out for the tactical team.

• The Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department assigns its SROs to work with 

detectives during the summer to help clear cases and provide an 

opportunity to hone their interviewing and investigation skills.

(2) Give SROs assignments that involve new and rewarding challenges, 

meeting interesting people, and learning new skills—even if they entail 

additional work.

• The Palm Beach County, Salem, and Scottsdale programs require SROs to

follow each case through from initial investigation to court appearance.

• Chief James Kelly in Palm Beach County assigned a supervisor and an 

officer to work with the school's construction committee to help ensure that 

architectural plans for new school buildings would be consistent with 

providing a safe school environment (see the box "Giving SROs Special 

Assignments").
SRO Program Guide 103

(3) Encourage SROs to seek out interesting challenges on their own and 

support them when they do.

• Dan Genest, a middle school SRO in Salem, learned how to conduct 

school safety surveys at an advanced National Association of School 

Resource Officer (NASRO) training. Based on what he learned, the next 

summer Genest surveyed every room in his school, documenting safety 

hazards such as windows that did not lock, rooms that were not clearly 

marked with a number, and lack of coverings on door windows that were 

needed if there was a lockdown. He reported his findings to school 

administrators, who fixed some of the deficiencies, including installing 

shades on all door windows. He also learned at the training how to run a 

lockdown at a school. As a result, he identified deficiencies in his school's 

lockdown procedures. For example, the procedure did not address what to 

do if there were students in the gym or cafeteria. He brought this 

information to the attention of the assistant principal, who changed the 

school's procedures. As a result, Genest not only participated in an 

interesting endeavor, he also increased his school administrators' 

appreciation for his work.

Giving SROs Special Assignments to Keep Them Motivated

Chief James Kelly in Palm Beach County assigned Lieutenant Larry Leon, a program supervisor,

and Don Thrasher, an SRO, to work with school building architects and the manager of new

construction to ensure that the plans provide a safe and secure environment—for example:

• Is there fencing, and is it appropriate? 

• Are the security systems adequate, including magnetic card access into the 

buildings, intrusion alarms, and video cameras? 

• Is the planned reception area secure? 

Leon also serves on the committee that selects the architects for each new school building and

participates in scoring the bidders. While another lieutenant covers for him when he goes to

daytime meetings, he does the remaining work at home, often on his own time.

After a captain introduced him to using CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental

Design) principles of securing school campuses, Leon became a CPTED practitioner. He has

also completed a construction management course that was offered by a major construction

company at no cost to the department. 

At times, Leon has changed school architectural designs on the spot. When facility architects

balk at his suggestions, he goes to the county's director of buildings and facilities and reports

that what he wants done "is a safety issue." The school district supports him because it wants to

ensure student safety and to reduce its liability in the event a preventable tragedy occurs. 
104 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

• The SROs in the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office perform annual security

assessments of their schools. They have designed complete emergency 

response manuals in collaboration with school officials and other deputies, 

including diagrams of school buildings and photographs, and developed 

procedures for various types of emergencies. The SROs regularly practice 

different types of preparedness drills with students and staff.

• An SRO in the Lenoir Sheriff's Office in North Carolina organized a Youth 

Crime Watch (YCW) program in the school. By providing student members 

with radios to use while "on patrol," the officer finds that the members 

report numerous cases of student misconduct ranging from attempts to 

skip school to arson in the bathrooms.

(4) Send SROs for training and other forms of professional development.

• Captain Tim Carney, supervisor of the Sarasota County program, took 30 

SROs—and their families—to an annual national NASRO conference held 

in Orlando, Florida. Carney sent six SROs to an SRO conference in Palm 

Beach County, California.

• Programs in two Florida counties arranged for Youth Crime Watch of 

America to host a two-day conference on successful Youth Crime Watch 

programs and sent all their SROs to attend.

THE PROBLEM: Too much teaching. According to a former SRO with the

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, "Teaching is a big reason for burnout because it's

hard to teach kids—they'll eat you up if you don't know what you're doing. Some

officers say that, if it weren't for the teaching, they'd love being SROs. And there's a

problem with repeating the same lecture over and over again." 

SOLUTIONS: Train officers to teach and, when necessary, arrange for them to

reduce their teaching load.

(1) As a former SRO said, "We could reduce the burnout from teaching if we 

trained officers in how to teach before they went on the job." Perhaps 

nothing frightens SROs more about their new assignment than getting up in 

front of a class of 25 mistrustful—even hostile—kids just looking to find flaws

in the officer. Without training, many SROs take months, even years, to 

become effective in the classroom. Others become so discouraged they 

quit.
SRO Program Guide 105

(2) Allow SROs to transfer to schools that require less teaching. The 

Sarasota County program allows SROs to transfer to other schools when 

openings become available. If an SRO leaves, the remaining SROs can bid 

for the opening, which is filled on the basis of seniority. There are usually 

one or two openings every year or two. If there is an opening at the high 

school level, there are always SROs who want to transfer, in part because of

the reduced teaching load compared with the demands at middle and, 

especially, elementary schools. 

(3) Make teaching easier. One difficult aspect of teaching is finding or 

developing curriculum materials and lesson plans. As a result, a supervising 

sergeant in Maury County started a library of teaching aids that SROs can 

use to develop their own lesson plans and handouts. The Tucson Police 

Department program houses teaching materials in its office that SROs can 

use, and its Procedures Manual distributed to all new SROs provides 

detailed curriculum outlines for teaching several topics. Sheryl Nosbish, in 

her tenth year as an SRO in Tucson, gives copies of her lesson plans and 

materials to each new SRO who shadows her. She also warns new SROs, 

"Don't overbook for teaching, don't agree to teach 5-7 classes a day." 

THE PROBLEM: Burnout. SROs can get burned out after a few years because

the job, if done properly, can involve non-stop work, after-hours work, and intense

work. As Major Skip Rossi with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said, "An

officer who has been an SRO for eight years may want out; you can get tired. It's

demanding—you have a lot of bosses." Irrespective of the long work hours, the

lack of flexibility (for illness, personal appointments, childcare issues) can also

cause burnout.

SOLUTIONS: Find ways to lighten the SROs' schedule.

(1) Support some flexibility in the SROs' schedules. While recognizing the 

wishes of the schools (and often the SROs' own desires) to have the officer 

always present in the schools, some programs have arranged for SROs to 

take breaks from their non-stop schedules.

• The Maury County Sheriff's Department assigns each SRO a back-up SRO

to help cover after-hour events and allow time off when there is a pressing 

daytime personal commitment. 

• The Boone Police Department trained a patrol officer in the department as 

an SRO to serve as a back-up to the single SRO in the department. 
106 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

• If an SRO needs a day off for personal reasons (e.g., his wife had a baby, 

her husband's father died), Captain Tim Carney in Sarasota County grants 

it. "If SROs need to run home to take care of a sick child, or a training ends 

an hour before their regular end of day, I let them go home early." 

• The Tucson program allows SROs to take a day off any time during the 

month in which their birthdays fall. If they do not take a day off, they 

receive 10 hours' extra pay for that pay period.

• Departments can include limits in the contract or MOU with the schools on 

how many extracurricular activities the SROs will be required to attend—for 

example, mandating attendance only for popular events like home football 

games where security is of concern or limiting the number of events to one 

every other week.

(2) As needed, give SROs extended periods of time off if they are feeling 

too stressed out. 

• One SRO's supervisor who suspected the officer was overworked by the 

inflection of his voice asked him, "Are you burned out?" The SRO said he 

was stressed out because of too much work and the time of year (spring 

time) "when kids become a little wild." As a result, the supervisor reduced 

the SRO's responsibilities with the Explorers Program. 

• The supervisor of the Boone Police Department, noticing that the SROs 

were burned out by the end of the school year, asked the chief to agree to 

allow them to build compensatory time during the school year so they could

take July and half of August off. The chief agreed, as long as officers 

came to the department periodically to check their messages. 

• The Jefferson City, Missouri, program attempts to train all SROs as Drug 

Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officers so it can rotate them in 

case they burn out. This dual qualification has helped the department to 

prevent officer burnout, one officer requested to leave D.A.R.E. for SRO 

duty. (The dual certification also makes it possible to have a trained 

substitute to step in if an SRO or D.A.R.E. officer gets sick.)
SRO Program Guide 107

(3) Try to give SROs preferred summer assignments so (like regular 

teachers) they have a chance to catch their breath and be ready for the

next school year.

• Enable SROs to work the same daytime, weekday hours during the 

summer rather than put them back on swing or night shifts, or, worse, 

rotating shifts. One of the steps the Lakewood Police Department has 

taken to promote retention is to establish a summer youth academy and 

other youth—related activities run by the SROs so they can maintain the 

same schedule they work during the school year. 

• Work with the department to ensure summer assignments are 

acceptable to the SROs. In many cases, SROs are officers who have 

been members of the agency for many years and therefore get frustrated 

when their summer assignment is inconsistent with their tenure. For 

example, assigning SROs in Virginia Beach to beachfront duty in the 

summer—a disliked posting—was causing some SROs to quit. As a result,

the program supervisor worked with patrol commanders to get SROs, who 

typically have more seniority than other patrol officers, to get the SROs the 

shift and assignments they prefer.

(4) Encourage SROs to lighten their work load on their own. 

• Sheryl Nosbish in Tucson tells new SROs who shadow her, "Lots of people

make demands on your time, so learn how to say 'no.' " She advises each 

new SRO to "educate administrators and teachers to what they can do and

not dump everything on the SRO—for example, little fights. You don't have 

to handle every broken law or school rule."
108 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

Dealing With Mandatory Turnover

In some agencies, department policies require SROs to leave the schools

prematurely.

Promotions. SROs who get promoted to sergeant typically have to return 

to patrol for a specified period of time. According to Daniel Parrett, a high 

school principal in Sarasota County, "SROs often last no more than four 

years in part because they have to go back to the road after getting 

promoted. That's my only complaint with the program—why make SROs go 

back on the road after a promotion?" That happened to a few of his SROs 

who wanted to remain in the position. "One SRO was almost crying 

because he had to leave." 

Mandatory rotation. Many departments require officers in specialty 

positions to rotate out of the assignment after a fixed number of years. In 

some cases, the collective bargaining agreement requires rotation for all 

specialty assignments. The box "Should SROs Be Rotated Out of the 

Position?" presents some of the advantages and disadvantages of 

mandatory rotation. 

Several departments have reduced turnover due to promotions and mandatory

rotation by changing the policy or allowing exceptions.

• Speaking about a newly promoted SRO, Sergeant Tim Enos, a supervisor with the

Sarasota County program, said, "It didn't make sense to put a 10-year SRO back on

patrol as a sergeant for two years and then let him go back to being an SRO." As a

result, the department relaxed the policy so that SROs can apply for promotions

and remain in the program. 

• In 2003, Richard Casler, chief of the Schaumburg Police Department, changed his

four-year mandatory rotation policy (see the box) to five and even six years, in part

because the schools objected to losing good SROs. (In addition, the program would

have lost several experienced SROs all at the same time, leaving too many schools

simultaneously with novice SROs, all of whom the program supervisor would have

had to monitor and support at the same time.) The department also agreed to allow

SROs who serve five years to spend one year in another position and then return to

the schools if there is an opening.

• Program supervisors in Tucson decided to allow current SROs to put their names

on a secondary list if they wish to rejoin the program for another five years,

although new applicants who meet the qualifications are placed on a primary

eligibility list and have first choice. As a result, when Sheryl Nosbish's time as an

SRO was coming to an end, she was able to sign up for another tour of duty

because there were no applicants on the primary list at the time. 
SRO Program Guide 109

• Robert Yant, chief of the Marshall Police Department, rescinded his two-year rotation

requirement "because the SRO turned out to be such a good fit with the schools."

Should SROs Be Rotated Out of the Position?

While the collective bargaining agreement in some programs requires the department to

rotate SROs, in many law enforcement agencies it is the chief's or sheriff's choice to rotate

them. A sheriff who sponsors a program insists on rotating SROs every three years. There is

mandatory rotation every five years in another department because the chief wants wellrounded officers. An SRO from the Boone Police Department agreed with his agency's

policy of rotating officers every four or five years arguing that it is "good to bring in new

blood because SROs can fall into a routine, so it is important to get someone who brings

renewed enthusiasm to the position." 

Richard Casler, the Schaumburg police chief, offered three reasons he rotates SROs out of

the position:

• When officers who have rotated through various assignments are promoted, their

experience with various aspects of police work makes them better supervisors. 

• Having periodic SRO openings enables him to reward patrol officers with a desirable

posting. 

• SROs can "recycle their experience by being a great mentor for new officers" on how to

work with youth.

By contrast, most SROs, and most school administrators, see important benefits to allowing

the officers to remain in the schools indefinitely as long as they are performing well. 

• A principal in Tucson said, "The whole benefit is the SRO's knowing the kids. For example,

the SRO will know when a student who says something inappropriate is just venting or is a

danger. The SRO knows when it is not appropriate to arrest a student because of the

pupil's past history and should write instead a report that justifies a more lenient response

to the incident than would be warranted if another student had committed the same

offense." 

• Program supervisors in the Olympia, Washington, Police Department, report that, unlike

other specialty positions (e.g., traffic), a successful SRO depends on relationships [with

school administrators and teachers] that take time to build. 
110 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 4: Minimizing Turnover among SROs

This chapter provides no case studies because no one program included in the

study implemented enough activities designed to minimize turnover to warrant a

separate discussion. However, the most effective approach to reducing

turnover is precisely to implement a number of steps that, taken together, are

much more likely to encourage qualified SROs to remain in the position than

any one retention strategy. 
SRO Program Guide 111

SROs point out that much of what they need to know can only be learned on the job—

"trial by fire," "trial and error," "sink or swim," and "by the seat of your pants" are how

many of them describe how they learned to be good SROs. As SRO Steve Malisos in

Salem, New Hampshire, said, "You fall back on your training 40 percent of the time, but

60 percent you have to rely on trial and error." However, while certain things can be

learned or honed only on the job, SROs in the study report that training before new

SROs go into the schools is essential. 

Importance of Training

Many SROs, SRO supervisors, and school administrators in the study report that

untrained SROs generally serve their schools poorly for several months and even

years. As one former SRO and current program supervisor said, "They [the

department] put SROs in the schools the first year with no formal training, so the first

year was not productive." 

A number of SROs report they either did things poorly or avoided doing them at

all until they had been trained. A high school assistant principal recalled that "the two

SROs I had worked with in the high school did their job but did not do enough with the

kids because they were fearful of making an error and getting into legal trouble."

Several SROs regretted that only after receiving training in classroom management did

they really begin to teach. 

SROs have good reason to be nervous going into schools without training

because they can make serious mistakes related to their relationships with students,

school administrators, and parents that at best cause short-term embarrassment and at

worst jeopardize the entire program in the school. Glenn Brunet, an SRO in Terrebonne

Parish, Louisiana, reported:

I learned what to do by trial and error, playing it by ear—for example, bringing 

parents in with their children to talk with me. When students began to

challenge my authority to tell them to tuck in their shirts ("You can't make me 

do that"), to enforce my authority I filled out and turned in a discipline slip form 

not knowing whether the school administrators would honor it. But the student 

was suspended. But I could have made serious errors without the training. I 

could have been overzealous or apathetic, doing too much or not enough. 

Plus, you need training to cover you in court [if you are sued], training is policy 

in court. 

Despite its importance, few programs in the study train SROs adequately before they

go on the job—some provide absolutely no training while others do not make it

available until SROs have been on the job for as long as a year or more. In addition to

the expense, programs often fail to provide timely training because courses are often

not available locally during the period between the selection of the new SROs and their

first day in the schools. However, as discussed below, a number of programs have

solved the problem of poor timing.

Chapter 5: Training SROs
112 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

Topics Pre-Service Training Needs to Address

Program supervisors, SROs, and school administrators generally agree that preservice training should focus on helping SROs to:

(1) teach;

(2) mentor and counsel;

(3) work collaboratively with school administrators;

(4) manage their time; and

(5) apply juvenile laws and case law.

In their curriculum materials, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the

COPS Office) and many private training organizations have developed detailed

syllabuses addressing the training needs of new SROs (see the box "A Number of

Organizations Provide Training for SROs"). As a result, the discussion below does

not provide course training outlines. Instead, the discussion provides the rationale for

providing training in each topic area. The text then addresses the chapter's principal

focus—how to go about arranging the training. 

How to Teach

Along with law enforcement and mentoring, teaching is one of the three components

of the accepted model for School Resource Officers. For some SROs and school

administrators, teaching is the key SRO role: Ward Nelson, a middle school

principal and program coordinator in Schaumburg, Illinois, says that "SROs need to

know how to teach kids—being a good teacher is the hallmark of a good SRO." 

However, unless they have taught school, taught the Drug Abuse Resistance

Education (D.A.R.E.) or Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T)

curriculums, or been an instructor at the academy, SROs cannot walk into a

classroom of kids and be an effective instructor. As Glenn Brunet in Terrebonne

Parish said, "Teaching a group of teenagers can be intimidating—they're just waiting

for you to make a mistake and laugh at you. The first time a teacher asked me to run

a class, I panicked—'I'm not a teacher.' [Without any training], it took me more than

two years to teach well." 

The benefits of teacher training can be immediate and significant: an SRO with the

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office explained that he wanted to teach law-related

topics more regularly in the middle school during his second year because he had

learned a great deal about the potential for classroom teaching at a National

Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) training he had just attended. He

spoke about his plans with the middle school principal, who approved. 

In addition to needing training in classroom management, SROs also need to learn

how to develop lesson plans. SRO Dan Genest in Salem had attended an
SRO Program Guide 113

instructor development class at the police academy long before he became an SRO.

As part of the course, he had had to put together lesson plans, which "helped me

tremendously to develop them for teaching here [at the middle school]." Sergeant

Richard Davies, a former SRO for eight years and now program supervisor in Pine

Bluff, Arkansas, said:

You can't go into class and look stupid, so you need to develop basic lesson 

plans to show to the principal so you can cover yourself and so you won't 

fumble in class. SROs also need to be able to document what they say in 

class in case a student claims the officers said something inappropriate. A lot 

of cops shoot from the hip in the classroom; make them develop lesson plans 

during training and then present them.

This is exactly what Davies did. After he became a certified NASRO instructor, he

offered a 40-hour course during the summer of 2001 for about a dozen prospective

SROs in the area, including a half dozen from his own police department, that included

training the participants to develop lesson plans.

How to Mentor and Counsel

Mentoring or counseling is also one of the three universally accepted SRO roles. 

• According to Glenn Brunet, "Counseling is the essence of what an SRO does in the

schools. Kids come for help, and you can't turn them away. The biggest thing is that

kids want someone they can talk to other than counselors, who are busy with

scheduling; kids need someone who is accessible on a casual basis."

• According to Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, the program supervisor with the

Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, "An essential training focus is preparing SROs to

counsel students—how to do it, how deeply to get involved, and when to go

elsewhere for help. They need to develop relationships with kids, but some students

use the SROs to get out of class or as a crutch, or develop "crushes" on SROs, so

SROs need training in how to avoid getting sucked into problems they can't handle

and get help [for the students] instead."

However, as with teaching, few people are "natural born" mentors—they need

guidance in how to engage in mentoring kids. Furthermore, without training, few

officers realize in advance the central role mentoring plays in being an SRO until later.

As a result, they are poorly prepared for the onslaught of kids who want help, the time

needed to address their problems, and effective methods of meeting their needs. 
114 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

One SRO reported that "It was specialized training I received at a COPS Office—

sponsored training that was a key to my development of the current version of

officers in schools that differentiates it from the previous work of D.A.R.E. or

G.R.E.A.T. in terms of mentoring and counseling." In Marshall, Minnesota, NASRO

training helped Jim Marshall, the SRO, to anticipate what to expect by way of kids

coming to him with problems—"The counseling component hit me hard because of

the number of kids who wanted to talk, and I needed to be ready for that."

How to Work Collaboratively With School Administrators

"The biggest area in which SROs need training," according to SRO Steve Malisos

in Salem, "is working with administrators." As Detective John Jameson, the first

SRO in Schaumburg, said:

You need to train SROs before they go on the job because they're dealing 

with two bosses—the police department and the school. They [school 

administrators] do things totally differently, so you need to understand the 

boundaries for what you can do in the schools. For example, the law says 

one thing but the school says no—that's too harsh. A kid is sexually 

assaulted, and the counselor wants to keep it confidential. How does an 

SRO handle this? Don't immediately go and charge and arrest the offender; 

participate as a team with school personnel. You need to know how to work 

with school administrators. 

Kiel Higgins, an SRO with the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department,

reported that the basic NASRO training course provided him for the first time with a

clear understanding of how SROs and administrators were meant to work together. 

How to Manage Time

As noted in chapter 3, "Screening SROs," SROs typically have multiple—and often

simultaneous—demands placed on their time from students, administrators,

teachers, parents, police supervisors, and even patrol officers (who sometime want

to transfer their juvenile cases to the SRO). As a result, they need training in how

to "multi-task"—but also in how to establish priorities for what they will do first and

what they will leave until later or even ignore. 
SRO Program Guide 115

How to Apply Juvenile Law and Case Law

There are complex issues associated with enforcing the law in a school that

many SROs are not initially ready to handle, including legislation and case law

related to:

• search and seizure involving minors in schools (e.g., responding to a school

administrator's request to conduct a search);

• interrogating minor students (e.g., without their parents present); 

• confidentiality related to what students tell SROs (e.g., domestic violence in the

home); and 

• privacy issues related to student school and police records. 

Few officers before becoming SROs—even if they have worked as juvenile

detectives—have acquired all this information. SRO Jim Marshall admitted that "I

was nervous dealing with juveniles and schools—things are done differently in

schools [than on the road]. As a patrol officer, 98 percent of your cases are adults,

so you don't get to know much about juvenile law or the juvenile court system."

This is why Ward Nelson, a middle school principal and program coordinator in

Schaumburg, Illinois, stressed that training in juvenile law and dealing the juveniles

is "incredibly important." 

SROs also need to be familiar with statutes related to juvenile crime, from status

offenses to curfew violations. As a middle school assistant principal in Tucson,

Arizona, said, SROs need to know the laws about juvenile behavior "because they

will be a consultant to students and staff on legal issues." 

Other Topics

A number of SROs, SRO supervisors, and school administrators feel that SROs

should be trained in five other areas before taking on the position (see the box,

"Five Other Topics Pre-Service Training Should Address").
116 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

Five Other Topics Pre-Service Training Should Address

A number of SROs, program supervisors, and school administrators recommend that new SROs be trained in

five other areas before taking on the position.

Child Development and Psychology

Sergeant Steve Belda, a program supervisor with the Tucson Police Department, said that SROs need "an

understanding of kids' needs and the psychological and physiological changes kids are going through." 

Working With Kids in Schools

Training can help SROs to "unlearn" some of the techniques they became accustomed to using on patrol duty

that are not appropriate in dealing with students—for example, resorting too quickly to using handcuffs or

treating misconduct as part of a person's criminal make-up when in a student the behavior may be an example

of youthful ebullience, indiscretion, immaturity, or risk taking. 

Training can also help SROs anticipate how to handle the close student proximity and physical contact the

officers are faced with in the typical school. James Wilkerson, an SRO in Palm Beach County, explained that

"police officers are used to having 'defensible space' around them, but kids crowd around the SROs, so the

officers need to lose their nervousness over that and get used to being around large groups of kids."

In addition, SROs need to be on the alert for students who may develop "crushes" on them and be able to

deflect such attention, including attempts at hugging that students may try to engage in. For example, one

sheriff's deputy tries to "train" her kids to do a "side" hug to avoid suggestive physical contact. SROs also need

tips on how to make sure that they do not engage in any inappropriate behavior that impressionable youngsters

may misconstrue. 

Handling Especially Difficult Students 

SROs encounter unusually difficult students infrequently but, when they do, without training the situation may

become serious. Dan Genest, an SRO in Salem, recounted how "a teacher could not get a kid who was acting

up to leave her class, so she called on me. I saw the kid was mentally disturbed and I wondered, 'How come no

one told me how to deal with mentally ill kids?' I'd had no training to deal with this situation."

Learning School Policies and Procedures

Former Salem superintendent of schools, Henry LaBranche, said, "It would be helpful for new SROs to spend

time during the summer before starting in the schools to learn their schools' policies and procedures . . . . that

is, learn how things are done in the school and what's been done in the past." SROs agree: Kiel Higgins in

Albuquerque said, "You need to learn the school's policies and guidelines—what its discipline policies are,

especially with special education kids."

Preparing Safe School Plans

School administrators want and need expert help in making sure that an effective crisis prevention and

management system is in place in their schools and that their campuses are as environmentally secure as

possible. For example, a middle school principal in Tucson said he wants an SRO who "is able to assess

deficiencies in lockdown procedures during dry runs, such as identifying locks that need to be fixed." Other

training for SROs can focus on student and terrorist threat assessments. Agencies can also train SROs in what

is known as CPTED—Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design—a standardized approach to identifying

ways of altering aspects of the physical environment that represent safety threats. 

Law enforcement agencies can consider opening up these and other school safety and security trainings to all

officers or deputies in the agency so that they, too, can benefit from the information as well as increase their

understanding of the SROs' responsibilities.

Finally, programs may wish to consider providing training in other areas addressed in COPS in School trainings,

including:

• community policing in the schools (e.g., the SRO as a community liaison and problem solver),

• youth culture and diversity (e.g., the challenge of school bullying), and

• promoting mental health in schools, including intervening with at-risk students (e.g., detecting early signs of

trouble).
SRO Program Guide 117

Approaches to Pre-Service Training

The programs in the study use as many as four different approaches—often in

combination—to providing pre-service training:

(1) formal classroom training;

(2) shadowing experienced SROs;

(3) formal field training; and

(4) written materials and guidelines.

Provide Formal Classroom Training

Many programs send their SROs to the 40-hour basic SRO training course offered by

national organizations such as NASRO and Corbin & Associates, or to the 3-day

COPS Office trainings (required of all COPS in Schools grantees). However, these

organizations and agencies may not offer training during the interval between when

officers have been selected as SROs and when they go into the schools—typically,

during the summer—or may not offer the training within an acceptable driving

distance of the law enforcement agency. Nevertheless, some programs have solved

these timing and travel barriers.

Delay Sending New SROs Into the Schools

Robert Yant, chief of the Marshall Police Department, delayed posting Jim Marshall,

the new SRO, in the schools until the fall after he could arrange for the officer to

attend a NASRO training. However, some SROs feel there are advantages to

providing training shortly after new SROs have been on the job because it allows

officers to bring some experience, concerns, and questions to the training.

• Jim Marshall spent the last two weeks of the school year in the schools before he

was sent for training with NASRO that summer. "I found this short-term immersion

useful because it helped focus my attention on what I needed to get out of the

training."

• According to an SRO with the Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department,

"attending basic training after school started was more beneficial [than attending

before he began work in the school], because it would not have made sense to me

if I had not been working in the school for a little while."

Seek Timely Training From Other Professional Organizations

Some programs are able to find other organizations that offer courses at the

time the program needs it. For example, for pre-service training, before new SROs

go into the schools and, for in-service training, during the summer (see the box "A

Number of Organizations Provide Training for SROs"). 
118 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

A Number of Organizations Provide Training for SROs

NASRO and Corbin & Associates, two national organizations that are devoted exclusively to training and

professional development of SROs, may be contacted at www.nasro.org and

www.copsite.com/corbin/main.html, respectively. 

Other organizations also provide SRO training. The list below represents a few of these other sources of

training based on an incomplete Internet search.* 

• Other national training organizations

— The Youth for Justice National Coordinated Law-Related Education Program, supported by the U.S. 

Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), hosts 

seminars for SROs. Contact: www.youthforjustice.org. 

— RJK & Associates, Inc., provides teaching, training, and consultation in the area of SRO performance 

and evaluation, including basic and advanced SRO training. Contact: www.rjkassoc.com.

• State agencies

— The North Carolina Justice Academy, a division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, provides 

a 40-hour course for new SROs throughout the State. Contact: www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA.

— The Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy has provided basic SRO training. Contact: 

www.WLEAcademy.com. 

— The Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute, through the State Attorney General's Office, provides 

public education and training programs for SROs. Contact: www.nal.usda.gov/pavnet/cj/cjflorid.htm

— Some state Commissions on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POSTs), such as those in 

California and Idaho, provide training, sometimes using training vendors such as NASRO and Corbin 

& Associates. The New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council uses Primex, a public entity 

risk pool organized and operating as a trust on behalf of over 500 member governmental entities. 

Contact: www.nhprimex.com/tc/school_resources_officer_training.htm.

• Post-secondary schools 

— Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin, with COPS Office funding and in conjunction 

with OJJPD, provides training in its School Resource Officer Leadership Program. Contact: 

www.foxvalley.tec.wi.us. 

— The Division of Public Safety at Walters State University, a community college in Morristown, 

Tennessee, provides basic and intermediate SRO training. Contact: www.ws.edu.

— At least two Regional Community Policing Institutes, one housed at Michigan State University, and 

one a partnership between the University of Illinois, Illinois State Police, and Illinois Violence 

Prevention Authority and Center, both supported by the COPS Office, provide 5-day schools for 

SROs. Contact: www.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/rcpi/train.html and www.online.uillinois.edu/oakley/

presentations/RICP_Links.html.

• State SRO associations. Some State associations of School Resource Officers provide SRO training, such

as those in Colorado (CASRO), Florida (FASRO), Kansas (KASRO), Washington (WASRO), and Alberta,

Canada.

* The inclusion of these organizations here does not imply anything about the quality of their training

programs, which have not been evaluated for this report. In addition, the list is not the result of an exhaustive

search for organizations that provide SRO training but rather an incomplete search designed to illustrate the

variety of organizations that provide training that may be timely, inexpensive, and near-by.
SRO Program Guide 119

Develop In-House Training Expertise

A few departments have solved the timing problem (and saved in travel expenses

and registration fees) by arranging for one of their own SROs to become

certified as an SRO trainer.

• In Pine Bluff, Sergeant Richard Davies took the initiative to take a course offered

by Corbin & Associates to become a certified SRO trainer. He then offered a 40-

hour course himself during the summer of 2001 for about a dozen officers in the

area, including a half dozen from his own police department, who volunteered to

attend because they were considering applying at some point to become SROs. 

• In West Orange, New Jersey, John Morella, having completed basic, advanced,

law review, and management courses given by NASRO, provides support and

direction to newer SROs and coordinates regional NASRO classes for them. As a

result, new SROs gain some familiarity with NASRO guidelines, methods, and

processes for balancing the law enforcement role with the counseling and

teaching functions before they have spent much time in the schools.

• The Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department's program has two certified NASRO

instructors in house, which allows it to train new SROs at almost any time.

Train SROs in How to Teach

The Scottsdale Police Department in Arizona and the Virginia Beach Police

Department in Virginia send their SROs to the state police academy to become

certified instructors. The Tucson Police Department's SRO Procedures Manual

requires new SROs who have not already been to general instructors school to

arrange with the training academy to attend the next available course. 

The West Orange and Albuquerque Police Departments arrange for new middle

school SROs to receive G.R.E.A.T. training before going into the schools. According

to principal and program coordinator Ward Nelson in Schaumburg, "G.R.E.A.T.

training helps improve the cops' ability to teach, develop lesson plans, and manage

kids." 
120 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

Provide In-House Orientation

Some programs provide their own orientation to the program as a supplement to

formal outside training or as a substitute when a basic SRO course is not available

before officers or deputies go into the schools. For example, the Delaware State Police

provides a two-day orientation for all SROs before they start work in the schools that

covers:

• school offense reporting requirements;

• investigations on school premises;

• arrest procedures with juveniles;

• adult versus juvenile enforcement, warrants, and summons procedures;

• crises management;

• counseling;

• establishing partnerships with schools; and 

• information from the Delaware Departments of Education and Social Service.

Arrange for New SROs to Shadow Experienced SROs

Several programs make provision for new SROs to "shadow" one or more

experienced SROs before going on the job. Some programs require shadowing as a

supplement to classroom learning. However, "If basic training can't be provided before

starting in the school," an SRO in Maury County, Tennessee, points out, "having the

opportunity to work with existing SROs in a field training officer situation is beneficial." 

Typically, programs require a new SRO to follow an experienced SRO around one or

more schools for one or two weeks to "learn the ropes" by seeing how skilled SROs

perform the job. SROs in the study report that this approach makes it possible for new

SROs to gain indispensable real-world, on-the-job knowledge of the position that

formal training typically cannot provide. In addition, when a new SRO shadows

Sheryl Nosbish in Tucson, Arizona, she makes sure to tell the officer who the important

people are to get to know, including not just school administrators but also civilian hall

monitors, janitorial staff, special education teachers, the president of the local PTA, and

the beat officers who work the precinct in which the school is located.

Because his program was brand new, Robert Yant, the Marshall chief of police, sent

Jim Marshall, his first SRO, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to shadow that jurisdiction's

experienced SRO. According to Marshall, "The experience was invaluable and helped

me create a successful program in my city" (see the case study at the end of the

chapter). 
SRO Program Guide 121

After new SROs have shadowed him, Glenn Brunet in Terrebonne Parish shadows

them for two days at their schools to make sure they are performing appropriately.

Similarly, the Delaware State Police and Jefferson City programs assign an

experienced SRO to spend portions of several days over a 2-4 week period at each

SRO's school to show the officer what to do and answer questions. 

Consider Providing Formal Field Training 

Unlike the informal shadowing exercises described above, three of the programs in

the study have formal field training officer (FTO) programs that are

documented in writing and include official evaluations of the field training's

effectiveness.

• The Boone Police Department in North Carolina has a structured 12-week FTO

program that is similar to traditional law enforcement agency FTO programs for

new recruits fresh out of the academy. The FTO, who is the departing SRO or

another experienced SRO, and the new SRO document their activities through

daily written observation reports, followed by meetings every other week involving

the FTO, patrol supervisor, and SRO trainee. 

• The Sarasota County program's FTO coordinator assigns each new SRO to

shadow two or three SROs, who are designated as Field Training Officers, to get

different perspectives on performing the job. The FTOs make sure the new SRO

is familiar with legislation and case law related to police officers and students. At

least one FTO observes and critiques the new SRO teach a class during the field

training period or as soon as possible thereafter. Before the end of the field

Arrange for New SROs to Observe More Than One Experienced SRO

There are advantages to having new SROs observe more than one experienced SRO on

the job. 

• New SROs can observe how SROs with different talents perform the job. 

• New SROs can learn how school climate, student bodies, school administrator

expectations and leadership styles, and other factors that can vary widely from school to

school can influence how experienced SROs approach the position regardless of an

SRO's talents. Three new SROs in Oklahoma County spent one week at each of three

different campuses shadowing different SROs to see how things were done differently

based on each school's needs and culture. For example, there was a great deal of parent

involvement in one school, while another school had significant gang activity. 

• The Sarasota County (see the case study) and Maury County programs arrange for new

SROs to observe experienced SROs in schools with different grade levels to learn how to

adjust their behavior to deal with students at different age levels.
122 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

training period, the FTO coordinator has a final review meeting with the FTOs to

discuss the new SRO's progress. If satisfactory, the coordinator recommends to

the captain in charge of the program that the officer begin "solo" duties (see

appendix A).

The Palm Beach County School District Police Department's comprehensive FTO

program is documented in the case study at the end of the chapter.

Whether a program has a formal FTO program or informal shadowing arrangement,

supervisors need to pick carefully the experienced SROs who will supervise the

training. If the established SROs whom the new SROs shadow are not doing their

jobs properly or give poor guidance, the experience will at best be inadequate and

at worst be harmful. Furthermore, it is important to remember that shadowing is

an essential supplement, not a substitute, for formal pre-service training. 

Distribute Written Program Guidelines

The Tucson program gives all new SROs a 37-page SRO Procedures Manual;

SROs must sign and submit to their supervisor a sheet documenting that they have

read and are familiar with the procedures. The manual addresses a wide range of

SRO roles and responsibilities, such as:

• dress code (SROs may choose not to be in uniform except for the first and last

two weeks of the school year);

• hours (based on each school's needs); 

• the G.R.E.A.T. program (SROs, once trained, are responsible for teaching the

course); 

• pertinent statutes;

• guidelines for getting started as an SRO; and

• curriculum outlines for teaching. 
SRO Program Guide 123

Promote Peer Learning

Many programs encourage new SROs to continue to contact experienced SROs to

answer questions during their first several months on the job. Many new SROs do

so on their own initiative. Detective John Jameson, a former SRO in Schaumburg,

used to get a call a week from other SROs.

A relatively new SRO called me for advice about how to handle a student 

who reported that another student had a pocket knife in school. The new 

SRO had already searched the student and found the knife—and cigarettes. 

The assistant principal wanted the student arrested for weapons possession, 

but the SRO had pointed out that it was not illegal in Illinois to have a pocket 

knife. The SRO was unsure whether he could charge the student with some 

other offense. Jameson said to ticket the student for possession of 

cigarettes and charge him with disorderly conduct on the grounds that, 

because other students knew of the knife, the student's carrying it in school 

had created a disruption. 

Programs can promote peer learning in two other ways. One way is by holding

monthly or quarterly meetings of all SROs, which provides officers with an

opportunity to talk informally about how they are addressing common problems.

Sending SROs to training programs can achieve the same result: after attending

basic NASRO training, Kiel Higgins in Albuquerque reported that "meeting and

talking with officers from other SRO programs outside of class about how to handle

problems was as important as the curriculum itself." 

Generally, the more training a program can provide SROs before they step

foot in the schools (or shortly thereafter), the better. As described in the case

study at the end of this chapter, the Palm Beach County School District Police

Department's training for new SROs is especially multifaceted and thorough. While

few other departments may be able to implement all of this department's training

components, they can consider adopting selected elements.
124 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

In-Service Training 

Although programs should address the topic areas identified above in pre-service

training, if they have not done so it is never too late to address them as part of inservice training. In addition, even if SROs were trained in the essential topics

before they went into the schools, programs should periodically provide

refresher in-service classes since SROs (like everyone else) may forget some of

what they learned (e.g., investigation techniques, juvenile procedural law) or there

may be new developments to share with them (e.g., case law, drug trends). Inservice training also offers yet another opportunity for SROs to share advice on

how they have mastered problems.

SRO programs can offer at least three types of in-service training:

• regular in-house staff meetings at which experts give presentations;

• semi-annual and annual training updates provided by the agency; and

• periodic conferences and courses provided by outside organizations or

associations. 

Hold Regular Meetings

Each of the three supervising sergeants in the Tucson program conducts periodic

trainings for the 6-8 SROs under his supervision, typically to explain a new

technology, vendor, or new or complex law or court ruling. For example, in one

meeting a superior court judge talked about when State statute makes a disruption

a felony as opposed to a misdemeanor. Sarasota County Sheriff's Office personnel

have provided in-service training for SROs addressing drug recognition, juvenile

case law updates, the local teen court, and programs in the community for driving

while impaired (DUI) offenders. An active shooter/rapid response training used

scenarios related to schools, such as dealing with armed intruders on campus. At

its regular SRO staff meetings, the Virginia Beach, Virginia, Police Department's

program has hosted:

• school personnel to talk about special needs populations; 

• CrimeSolvers to talk about setting up tip lines in the schools;

• the department's gang unit to discuss trends among local gangs; and

• representatives from the health community to talk about drug awareness. 
SRO Program Guide 125

Provide Formal In-House Training

Some programs provide annual or semi-annual training for SROs offered in-house

either by department personnel, outside experts, or both. 

• The Delaware State Police offers 16 hours of in-service training for SROs each

summer that addresses topics such as conflict resolution, physical security

assessments, establishing crises plans, drug awareness education, early warning

signs of drug abuse, and de-escalating confrontations with kids. 

• Program supervisors in Chula Vista, California, redistribute updates of SRO roles

and responsibilities every six months at a 6:30 a.m. unit meeting as a means of

reinforcing what the officers are supposed to be doing and updating them on any

new procedures or changes in procedures. For example, some high school

principals were summoning SROs to deal with truant students who were on

campus—but, if the youth are in school, they are not an SRO responsibility. As a

result, the program supervisors incorporated a policy covering this situation in the

written SRO roles and responsibilities and reviewed the policy at the next 

semi-annual meeting.

• The Palm Beach County School District Police Department provides extensive 

in-service training each summer (see the case study at the end of the chapter).

Send SROs to Conferences and Courses

A number of programs arrange for SROs to attend advanced SRO training offered

by independent training organizations. The Maury County program sends all its

SROs every summer to the Tennessee School Resource Officers Association

week-long conference. Topics have included school safety, school violence, gangs,

interviewing skills, natural disasters and terrorism planning, legal issues, bullying,

child abuse, and basic drug identification. In 2004, Albuquerque SROs attended a

40-hour crisis intervention training geared toward adolescents, with actors from a

local theatre group role playing scenarios with the SROs. The Oklahoma County

program offers its SROs an especially wide range of training (see the box "The

Oklahoma County Program Provides Multiple Training Opportunities").
126 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

Program supervisors in several states, including Alabama, California, Florida,

Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas, periodically offer statewide

and even regional one-day school safety and security conferences, attended

principally by SROs, school security staff, and school administrators that address

regional as well as national trends in school safety and security issues—for

example, gang prevalence and threat assessments. Programs in states without

regional conferences can arrange to offer them at low cost by using local trainers,

obtaining donated food, asking schools to contribute in-kind duplicating services,

and charging at modest $10 participation fee. For example, a school district police

department in Maryland set up a regional school safety conference for surrounding

States that attracted 200 participants the first year and 400 the second year—about

half of them SROs.

Agencies with COPS in Schools grants from the COPS Office are required to send

grant-funded officers (and one school administrator per grant) to COPS in School

trainings. As a result, all 64 grant-funded SROs in the Palm Beach County School

District Police Department have benefited from the three-day trainings at no cost to

the department. 

The Oklahoma County Program Provides Multiple Training Opportunities

A superintendent of schools in Oklahoma County requests that the SROs in her district attend annual

conferences, such as the Governor's safe schools summit, at which they receive updated information

and have opportunities to network with other SROs. Both SROs attended in 2002. The program

supervisor has also arranged for SROs to attend a variety of other trainings, including:

• a week long Defy Camp run by the State Attorney General's office every summer where participants

act as advisors to troubled kids to learn ways of breaking down barriers between themselves and

young people and to learn how to mentor them

• the annual Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association Conference

• training by the sheriff's office's tactical team on conducting building searches and using other

tactical techniques

• a one-day field sobriety testing class for use in the schools

• a 40-hour crisis intervention training course

• an 8-hour Basic Emergency Public Information Officer training (so that SROs know how to handle

the media if there is an emergency at the school)

• an all-day domestic violence seminar

• an all-day bullying class

• a child abuse and neglect seminar

• drug seminars on club drugs and other illicit drugs used by juveniles so the SROs can use the

information as part of in-service training for teachers
SRO Program Guide 127

Consider Timing and Costs

Because school administrators do not like to "lose" their SROs for even a single

day, several programs are careful to provide in-service training only when

schools are not in session. In the past, one program pulled its SROs out of their

schools two or three times a month for training. After the principals objected, the

police department agreed to remove the officers only once a month for just one or

two days and never to pull out both SROs at each high school on the same day.

The Sarasota County program holds in-service training on the six days every year

when teachers have professional days and students do not come to school.

Many police and sheriff's departments pay SRO training registration fees out of

their training budgets. Some school districts pay for part or all of the training costs.

A superintendent of a Stark County School District pays for his SRO to attend the

annual NASRO conference, one year contributing $1,200 for registration and travel

expenses. 

Programs have found creative ways to eliminate or reduce training costs.

• Free courses are often available. Jim Marshall has attended courses on children

with special needs offered for free by the Minnesota Department of Education.

School administrators in Fontana, California, permit SROs to sit in on the training

the school district provides for faculty and administrators when the subject matter

is pertinent to the officers.

• The Lenoir County program in North Carolina often sends only one of its three

SROs to in-service training conferences but requires the officer to bring back

materials to use in training the other two SROs.

• After reviewing its schedule of trainings and learning that none were going to be

held in the near future in Tennessee, Captain Nathan Johns in Maury County

hosted a NASRO training in nearby Columbia, which saved the program travel

and per diem expenses as well as entitling it to one free registration (worth $425)

for every 10 SROs who registered. 

Include School Administrators in the Training

Because of the importance of getting along with school administrators, the COPS

Office requires agencies awarded a COPS in Schools grant to send at least one

school administrator per grant from a partnering school district along with the SROs

supported by the grant to one of its three-day training conferences. Several

program coordinators and school administrators agree with the COPS Office that it

is extremely valuable to train principals and assistant principals along with

SROs as a team. 
128 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

When the SRO program first began in Schaumburg, some faculty and school board

members were concerned that "uneducated" SROs would be running down the

corridors "kicking butt." In part to correct this misperception, the school district paid

for—and the school board required—that all school administrators attend a 40-hour

NASRO basic SRO training course. According to a school administrator who

attended, "Since these trainings are attended primarily by SROs, the administrators

had a tremendous opportunity to hear about the program from the officers'

perspectives and to gain information on a number of strategies from different

jurisdictions for solving program-related problems." 

Even the program supervisor in a site in which the SROs engage predominantly in

law enforcement activities recommended joint SRO training with school

administrators, because "the biggest thing about being an SRO is not the criminal

side but being able to work with assistant principals." 

Joint training for SROs and school administrators should focus especially on: 

• cultural differences between law enforcement agencies and school systems;

• supervision of the SROs; and 

• decisions about what the SROs will and will not do. 

* * *

Three case studies illustrate a number of ways in which programs can provide

thorough, timely, and often inexpensive or free pre-service and in-service training for

SROs. 

• The experience of the Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department suggests how a

single SRO in a small law enforcement agency (21 sworn) in a small community

(13,000) can receive comprehensive training before and after going into the

schools. 

• Dissatisfied with the training provided by an outside training organization, the

Fontana Police Department developed its own in-house training course that, at no

cost to the agency, provides training to new SROs before they go into the schools.

When the department cannot send all its SROs for in-service training, it requires

those who attend to provide the training for those who could not. 

• Because the department consists entirely of SROs and is operated by a school

district, few other programs are likely to be able to implement every component of

the Palm Beach County School District Police Department's comprehensive training

program. However, other programs can replicate selected features of the training,

such as arranging for new SROs to shadow different experienced SROs and finding

trainers from other law enforcement agencies to teach in-service classes for free in

exchange for the department's having provided these agencies with free courses.
SRO Program Guide 129

Case Study: Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department (21 sworn)

The experience of Marshall, with a population of only 13,000 and only one SRO,

suggests how other small communities and programs can provide training

that is timely, inexpensive, and thorough. 

Pre-Service Training

Chief Robert Yant was able to provide both NASRO training and shadowing for the

new SRO, Jim Marshall, before the officer began working in the schools. Although

the Marshall Police Department was awarded its COPS in Schools grant in the

middle of a school year, Yant delayed posting the SRO in the schools—and

drawing down funds from the grant—until the fall when he could arrange for the

SRO to attend a NASRO training in Kansas City. While the chief initiated the

delay in part because he needed time to hire a replacement for the SRO, he also

wanted to avoid sending an untrained officer into the schools.

Jim Marshall, the new SRO, reported that "The most beneficial aspects of the

NASRO training were the legal and case law modules." The NASRO training also

helped him to anticipate what to expect by way of kids' coming to him with

problems.

After Marshall spent two weeks in the local schools at the end of the 1999-2000

school year, Yant arranged for him to shadow three SROs in Sioux Falls,

South Dakota, a 90-minutes drive away. Yant picked that program because he had

come to know the program supervisor after having recruited him to serve on the

department's oral screening panel that selected Marshall as the initial SRO. 

Jim Marshall observed two high school SROs and one junior high school SRO in

Sioux Falls. He asked the officers questions about procedures, such as search and

seizure, and how to handle various situations, such as kids who were out of control

or fighting. He found out what topics they taught in the classroom and, based on

their answers, developed his own curriculum to teach in the schools.
130 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

For Marshall, the shadowing was the most important part of his pre-service training:

It showed me what I'd be doing-being in the hallways with kids and not just 

hanging out in the office doing nothing. I saw how they mingle with kids and 

build rapport. I saw how I could use free time to develop programs, prepare 

presentations, and talk with kids. If you're not doing anything, administrators 

will catch on. The opportunity to view them [the Sioux Falls SROs] in action 

was something the NASRO training could not provide.

Marshall reported that he also benefited from observing different SROs: "One was

more outgoing and good at building relationships with kids, one was more talented

at teaching, and one was skillful in working with school administrators—he fit right

in." As a result, Marshall was able to see how he could attempt to combine the best

features of all three SROs into his own approach to working in the schools.

In-Service Training

As a very small department with a limited training budget, the Marshall Police

Department does not arrange for any specialized in-service training for its SRO. As

a result, Jim Marshall on his own looks for training opportunities in mailings

he receives and from tips from school administrators. The two or three times a year

when he discovers a course or class that would be helpful, his supervisor agrees to

pay the registration fee. The courses Marshall has attended in this manner have

addressed:

• children with special needs; 

• bullying; 

• dealing with mentally ill people; 

• case law related to guns, drugs, and violence in the school setting; and

• family and community violence prevention.

Marshall manages to attend some free courses, as well. For example, the

Minnesota Department of Education offers courses on children with special needs

at no cost to participants. Although typically offered for school personnel, Marshall

attends them if he feels they will help him as an SRO.
SRO Program Guide 131

Case Study: Fontana, California, Police Department (151 sworn)

By developing its own in-house training course coupled with having new SROs

shadow experienced SROs, the Fontana Police Department has been able to

ensure that all new SROs are trained before they go into the schools.

Pre-Service Training

When the SRO program began, the department arranged for its new officers to

receive basic training from an outside organization. However, once the department

became experienced with SRO work, it became dissatisfied with the vendor's

training, largely because only one individual taught all 40 hours of the course.

Officers who had attended the training reported that they would have preferred that

several speakers, each selected for his or her specialized knowledge and field

experience, give discrete sections of the overall course. They felt this was

important both to avoid "listening fatigue" and, more importantly, because no single

person, in their judgment, could have the expertise or provide the credibility of field

experience in the wide range of topics included in the training. 

This impression was confirmed by the first two SROs funded through Cops in

Schools grants who attended the COPS Office conference for grantees. Over the

conference's three days, no single trainer covered more than two or three hours of

the course. Training modules addressing such areas as creating a common vision

among school and law enforcement staff, solving problems, teaching class, and

understanding legal issues involving children in a public school were each covered

by a different specialist. As a result, the department developed its own 40-hour

basic SRO training program that addresses a wide range of topics (see the box

"Sample Topics That Fontana's In-House Training Addresses"). SROs, program

supervisors, prosecutors, judges, and principals, assistant principals, the

superintendent of schools, and a school board member teach different sections of

the course. The training includes field trips to schools to observe teaching and

become familiar with school environments and personnel. 

Because the department arranged to have the course certified for one time by the

California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST), it was

able to offer the training statewide for a fee of $175 per registrant. While the

department did not develop the course as a commercial enterprise, and the initial

goal of developing its own curriculum was to train its own SROs, offering the

training to other SRO programs in the State generated a small amount of income

(see chapter 7, "Identifying Sources of Program Funding"), whereas sending new

SROs for training by the previous provider had cost the program money in travel

expenses and registration fees. 
132 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

As with many of the program's other activities designed to publicize its

effectiveness and services, program administrators believe that developing and

marketing their own SRO training course contributes to raising the program's profile

with funding sources, thereby helping to ensure its survival (see the Fontana case

study at the end of chapter 8, "Maintaining Program Funding").

The department supplements the formal training for new SROs with time spent

shadowing an experienced SRO. Each new SRO shadows an experienced SRO

for a week at the school the "rookie" will be assigned to. The supervisor also

arranges as needed for new SROs to observe experienced SROs teach class and

provide security at after-school events (e.g., dances). The program supervisor

debriefs with the experienced SRO and the school principal to ensure that the new

SRO is ready to perform properly on his or her own. 

In-Service Training

In addition to 40 hours of basic training before going into the schools, new SROs

receive in-service training throughout the year. If only a few officers attend a

training, they are obligated to train the rest of the SROs on the topic. In addition to

legal updates, in-service training has addressed the following topics:

• Dealing with Angry Kids: an eight-hour course addressing juvenile anger.

• Drop-Out Prevention: a three-day class focusing on recognizing signs of youth

prone to dropping out of school and on meeting the needs of at-risk youth.

• Sexual Assault Investigation: a 40-hour course on investigating sexual assault

and abuse concentrating on school-age children.

Sample Topics That Fontana's In-House Training Addresses

Introduction Relationship Building With Administrators 

Overview of the SRO Program Introduction to Gangs

Defining the Role of an SRO Crime Prevention Approaches

Mentoring Criminal Law

Formal/Informal Penal Code

Purpose and Benefits of Mentoring Education Code

Bullying City Codes

What Causes Bullying Report Writing

School Shootings Child Abuse/Molestation

Basic Teaching Skills Reporting Laws

Preparing a Lesson Plan Child Abuse Investigations

Presentation Diagnostic Indicators

Proper Use of Visual Aids Drug and Alcohol Recognition

Team Teaching
SRO Program Guide 133

• No Bullying Program: an eight-hour overview of bullying and its effects on

children.

• Teen and Child Substance Abuse: an eight-hour course devoted to recognizing

signs of addiction, intervention techniques, and counseling options for troubled

teens.

Case Study: Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police

Department (148 sworn)

The Palm Beach County School District Police Department has an especially intense

and creative pre-service and in-service training program for its SROs. However,

because the department consists entirely of SROs and is operated by a school district,

few other programs are likely to have the resources, time, or authority to implement

every component of its training program. Nonetheless, other programs can replicate

selected features of the Palm Beach County training program.

Pre-Service Training

For their first two weeks, new SROs attend all-day classes focusing in particular on

report writing skills. Lieutenant Vanessa Snow, the department's administrative

lieutenant, who supervises the FTO program, then assigns each new recruit to a group

of 3 of the current 16 FTOs, each of whom is an active SRO at a different grade level

school (see the box "The Programs Screens and Trains FTOs Carefully"). For the next

six weeks, the new SRO rotates among the three FTOs, shadowing them, and

then returns to spend a final week with the initial FTO. The FTOs themselves

asked the chief to institute the procedure of returning for a final week's supervision by

the initial FTO because the first FTO would be in a good position to assess the level of

change in the recruit after the FTO training period had ended.

FTOs must make every effort to cover the entire list of topics in their FTO

manual. Each FTO signs off on the topics he or she has covered on the list and

passes the checklist on to the next FTO who will be training the SRO. The checklist

includes a column for "Instructed/Explained" and another for "Performed/Tested."

However, not all FTOs get through the entire checklist because of lack of time and

opportunity—for example, there may not have been an arrest for which the new SRO

had to write a report.

At some point, SROs in training observe at least one of their FTOs teach a class and

then team teach with an FTO. James Wilkerson, an FTO, requires his new SROs to

develop a classroom presentation on a topic (e.g., kids hitting each other), helps them

decide what to say, and then observes the officers teach the class. After the class,

Wilkerson gives guidance on how to improve their teaching techniques—for example,

to tell kids who ask questions that get off the subject, "let me come back to that later if
134 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

FTOs make sure that over the course of the training the recruits move from the street

mentality of "cuffing and stuffing" in response to criminal behavior to what Lieutenant

Vanessa Snow calls "the proactive mentality needed in the schools to prevent

misconduct and not be just an enforcer but also a teacher and counselor—a

paradigm shift." 

One SRO supervisor points out that the FTO program also helps new SROs

understand how to deal with school administrators—"you need to get the

principal to trust you. Recruits observe FTOs interact with administrators and learn

that you have to humble yourself with principals and assistant principals. On the

streets, cops make their own decisions (sergeants are usually too busy to help out or

confer), but here [in the schools] it has to be more of a team decision." 

At the end of each day of supervision or at the beginning of the following day, the

FTO faxes Lieutenant Snow a report of his or her observations. Snow reviews

the report for deficiencies or areas of excellence—for example, ability to

communicate with difficult people, crisis management, or report writing. "There is a

learning curve," Snow says, "with recruits typically improving over time." For example,

some recruits are used to writing short incident reports in their previous jobs, but in

this position "more is better—they need to be very thorough in their reports," Snow

says. The reports are initially based on real incidents that the FTO handles and

eventually incidents that the recruit handles under the FTO's supervision. 

The Program Screens and Trains FTOs Carefully

The department thoroughly screens SROs who apply to become FTOs. Applicants must meet specific

written criteria (see appendix B), including: 

• a work history that indicates above-average initiative and self-motivation;

• no formal disciplinary actions for two years prior to application and appointment;

• a two year commitment to the position;

• positive recommendations by present and prior supervisors; and 

• the demonstrated ability to write clear, complete, and timely reports.

Instructor-certified candidates are preferred.

In addition to meeting these criteria, to be eligible SROs must:

• no longer be on probation, 

• be recommended by their supervisor, and

• obtain on their own initiative an FTO certificate from a recognized training institute.

FTOs receive two hours of overtime pay each day they supervise a recruit and can parlay the skill in

a career ladder progression leading to a four percent pay raise at the end of four years if they meet

several other criteria. Four of the first six SROs who became FTOs when the field officer training

program was instituted in 1998 were still FTOs in 2005.
SRO Program Guide 135

Appendix C provides the SRO performance-based evaluation form that FTOs fill in at

the end of every day (supervisors complete the same form every month for the next

16 months while the new SROs are still on probation, and then annually). The

evaluation covers 12 areas, ranging from appearance, to report writing, to

interpersonal effectiveness with peers, administrators, students, and the community.

Supervisors use a rating scale of 1 (not acceptable), 2 (development needed), 3-5

(acceptable), and 6-7 (superior). As illustrated in the box "Sample Guidelines for

Completing the Performance Based Evaluation," there is an 11-page set of detailed

guidelines that FTOs and supervisors follow in filling out the evaluation form. 

Shortly before the end of the field training period, chief James Kelly meets with the

FTOs as a group for two hours to discuss officer by officer how each new SRO

has done, his or her strengths and weaknesses, and the need for any further

training—for example, to improve an officer's report writing skills or ability to build

relationships with kids. In the latter instance, Kelly has sent new SROs back to an

FTO who encourages the recruit to engage more with kids and observes and

documents the improvement. Kelly also asks the FTOs for their "gut" feelings about

the recruits because these feelings, too, he says, are important to assessing the new

SRO's capabilities. When one FTO reports a recruit is "excellent" and another says

the same recruit is only "good," the chief makes them explain their positions to reach

consensus or account for the different perceptions.

Sample Guidelines for Completing

the Palm Beach FTO Performance-Based Evaluation

Appearance

Unacceptable—Dirty shoes and wrinkled uniform. Uniform fits poorly or is 

improperly worn . . . .

Acceptable—Uniform neat and clean, fits and is worn properly . . . . Shoes are 

shined.

Superior—Uniform neat, clean and properly pressed. Leather is shined and 

shoes are spit-shined. Displays command presence.

Report Writing 

Unacceptable—Is unaware that a report or form needs to be completed/does 

not know what reports or forms to utilize.

Acceptable—Is aware of commonly used forms/reports and understands their 

funtion . . . . Completes with reasonable accuracy and thoroughness . . . . 

Superior—Consistently makes accurate form selection and completes them 

with out assistance . . . .

Interpersonal Skills

Unacceptable—Unable to properly establish communication lines with other . . . . Participates 

in conduct that has the potential to/or places the department in a negative light . . . . 

Acceptable—Actively works at establishing positive relationships with others . . . . 

Superior—Establishes excellent rapport with others . . . . Displays mastery in 

the resolution of conflicts.
136 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs

During these discussions, Kelly develops a sense of which school to assign each

new SRO to. He meets with the captains during the summer, when the SROs and

principals make any requests they may have for transfers and when new schools

come on line, and assigns each recruit to a school. He then meets with the

supervisors and discusses each recruit with them, visits each principal alone, and

then introduces the recruit to the principal along with the new SRO's supervising

lieutenant so they can spell out their mutual expectations.

No recruit has failed to pass the field training program because of the careful

screening to become a member of the department and because the FTOs work to

make the SROs succeed. 

After Kelly has assigned new SROs to their schools and to a supervisor, the

officers remain on probation for another 16 months. During this period, supervisors

complete a monthly evaluation using the same "daily" report that the FTOs

completed. After the total 18 months of probation, SROs are evaluated annually.

In-Service Training

To avoid pulling SROs out of the schools when classes are in session, the

program provides 120 hours of in-service training during the summer. Inhouse department staff provide about half the instruction, with personnel from other

law enforcement agencies providing the rest. 

Each February, Lieutenant Snow starts to line up courses and training sites for the

following summer. The box "In-Service Training Classes" identifies some of the

training classes she has arranged.

Contracted trainers from other law enforcement agencies have taught classes on

religious terrorism and biometrics (thumb scans, retinal scanning) at no cost to the

department in exchange for the department's having provided them with courses in,

for example, crisis response training, or by having allowed their officers to attend

recertification courses that Palm Beach County School District SROs attend. The

department has even donated uniforms to less fortunate law enforcement agencies.

These kinds of relationships are enhanced because the department operates in a

county with over 37 municipal law enforcement agencies with which it has mutual

aid agreements and with which SROs sometimes have to interact. 
SRO Program Guide 137

Trust funds pay for some of the training, and community colleges and institutes

receive State money to sponsor other classes that SROs attend. Still other courses

are offered for free with the only expense to the department being supplies or a

hotel and meals for the trainer. As a result, while the department has a training

budget, it rarely has to use it. 

During the summer, the department sends about 20 SROs for annual training with

the Florida Association of School Resource Officers (FASRO) if their schools agree

to pay the registration fee or if the officers are willing to pay out of pocket. SROs

who attend are excused from the in-house summer training that they would

otherwise be participating in that week. The department pays for supervisors to

attend the training.

In-Service Training Classes

Course 

Juvenile Sex Offenders/Predators . . . . .

Violence and Gangs in Schools . . . . . .

Child Abuse/Neglect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Department of Juvenile Justice Update .

Aerosol Drug Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Designer" Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cultural Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Drug Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Characteristics of Exceptional Students

Crisis Plan Implementation . . . . . . . . .

Language Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First Responder Investigation of Missing, 

Runaway, and Abducted Children

Domestic Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Instructor(s) Hours

Sheriff's Office . . . . . . . . . . 2 

In-House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Sheriff's Office . . . . . . . . . 4

State Attorney's Office . . . . 2

In-House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

U.S. Drug Enforcement . . . 5

Administration

Outside consultant . . . . . . .10

Sheriff's Office . . . . . . . . . .20

School District Personnel . . 8

In-House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

County School District . . . . 5

Department of 

Multicultural Education 

County Sheriff's Office . . . . 5

County Sheriff's Office . . . . 5
138 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs
SRO Program Guide 139
140 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs
SRO Program Guide 141
142 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs
SRO Program Guide 143
144 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs
SRO Program Guide 145
146 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 5: Training SROs
SRO Program Guide 147

While the focus of this chapter is on how to supervise SROs, a few supervisors

contacted for this study indicated that they do not need to spend much, if any, time

monitoring their SROs. 

• Some supervisors believe that they have placed experienced, self-motivated

officers in the position who can work entirely on their own. One supervisor said,

"There is little need to monitor the SROs closely because most of them have

been in the department for 12-14 years and because we've had a long history of

police involvement in the schools." Another supervisor felt that if he needed to

spend a lot of time supervising the SROs, then "I've placed the wrong officers for

the position." 

• Other supervisors believe that supervision is not needed because, as one said,

"Principals monitor them and tell me if there is a problem. For example, a

principal called me to report that an SRO was constantly late for things. I spoke to

the SRO and he shaped up."

• Another supervisor reported that SROs appreciate "the freedom of not having a

supervisor breathing down their necks."

• Some program participants in small sites feel that informal conversations between

the police chief or sheriff and the school superintendent or principal provide

adequate supervision. 

The Need for Close Supervision Despite Obstacles

Despite these perceptions that close supervision is not necessary, most program

supervisors in the study recognize the need to monitor their SROs' behavior

carefully. However, they also report that there are often serious obstacles to

supervising them properly. 

Be Realistic About the Obstacles to Adequate Supervision

The most common explanation for not exercising adequate supervision is lack of

time, typically because supervisors have other important responsibilities. In many

cases, the department gives these other responsibilities a higher priority than it

gives the SRO program. For example, there are supervisors who also command

their department's uniformed services division, detective or juvenile bureau, or

community services division; who are the department's assistant public information

officer or grant manager; or who continue to investigate juvenile cases as juvenile

detective sergeants.

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
148 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

The long distances between schools or large numbers of schools in some

jurisdictions hamper some supervisors: 

• One supervisor in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Police Department oversees 15

schools spread out over the entire city. 

• The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office program supervisor is responsible for 12

SROs in a county of 776 square miles. 

Some supervisors, since they lack understanding of what SROs are supposed to

do, are said to take a "hands-off" approach because they would find it awkward

or embarrassing to monitor them. 

Become Aware of the Multiple Purposes Supervision Serves

Despite these obstacles, finding ways of supervising SROs adequately is important

to:

• assist new SROs in making the transition from patrol officer to school-based

resource officer; 

• identify signs of poor SRO performance before school administrators have to

bring it to the supervisors' attention—school administrators should not have to

report problems with SROs that program supervisors could have caught if they

had been conscientiously monitoring the officers' behavior in the first place;

• make sure SROs realize that their department considers their work to be 

important; 

• make SROs feel they have support from department leadership when

prioritizing their workload, working through problems with school administrators,

or handling challenging situations in the schools;

• ensure reasonable consistency in program implementation with programs that

have officers in multiple schools or more than one program supervisor; and

• demonstrate to school administrators that the agency considers the program

an important collaborative initiative.

Even when programs assign independent, mature officers as SROs, supervisors

cannot assume that the officers need little supervision (see the box "Even Well

Qualified, Experienced SROs Need Supervision").
SRO Program Guide 149

Supervisors cannot rely on administrators to always report problems because 

some school principals and assistant principals may be too busy or may be 

reluctant to involve the supervisor and, as a result, allow the problem go 

unaddressed or let it fester until it explodes. One police chief with experience 

with numerous school administrators reported:

In my experience, I have found that many principals will accept mediocrity 

instead of saying something negative about their SRO. In fact, school 

administrators exist in a culture where they often "don't want to get anybody in 

trouble." Therefore, they will not criticize an SRO's performance to the SRO 

supervisor.

An example of the importance of not assuming principals will take the initiative to

report dissatisfaction with their SROs occurred when a high school principal who was

contacted by the SRO supervisor only at the end of the school year expressed

concern that his SRO had been making better connections with the athletes than with

other students and needed to reach out to the other kids. While the following year the

SRO made a concerted effort to contact kids from other walks in life and fixed the

problem after the supervisor talked with him, an entire school year should not have

passed before the problem was corrected. 

As a result, some supervisors make it a point to ferret out problems early.

• Tim Carney, when he became the captain in charge of the Sarasota County SRO

program in Florida, required supervisors to be more visible on campus where they

could supervise SROs and meet frequently with principals to identify problems with

officers early rather than getting "blindsided" by the news of problems at the end of

each year during the principals' annual evaluation of the SROs.

• The sergeant in charge of the Lakewood, Colorado, SRO program decided the best

way to ensure she was aware of any problems between officers and school

administrators was to host a roundtable discussion each semester with all SROs

and school administrators so she could look for both verbal and non-verbal clues to

any problems. 

• The sergeant in charge of the Fontana, California, program conducts performance

reviews with each SRO every three months so he can identify and address

problems more quickly than if the review occurred only at the end of the school

year.

A largely "hands-off" approach to supervision also results in school administrators

alone directing the activities of the SROs assigned to their schools. The law

enforcement agency needs to ensure that the SROs are addressing its goals,

as well.
150 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Even Well Qualified, Experienced SROs Need Supervision

While some program supervisors believe that their SROs require little or no supervision,

a number of programs have found to their embarrassment that this is not true.

• Because SROs deal constantly with parents and engage in after-school activities with

kids, they frequently make decisions that must withstand public scrutiny. As a result,

supervisors need to make sure the officers are not exposing the department to any

possible negative public relations. 

• According to one supervisor, "You need to monitor people, because all young people

do their own thing—especially when they're given a lot of autonomy." 

• Another program supervisor noted that not all law enforcement officers want to work as

hard as the SRO position requires. 

— A school principal reported that, "One SRO was a bit lazy—he was not visible 

enough, spending too much time in his office. So I talked with the SRO first 

and then brought in the supervisor—who was unaware of the problem—to rein

force my concern. The SRO corrected the problem."

— A police chief decided the department needed to play a more active role in 

supervising the position after it was discovered that an SRO was taking 

advantage of the lack of supervision to shirk his responsibilities. 

• Even the most conscientious SROs (or teachers or tug boat captains or assembly line

workers) may become lax over time if left unsupervised. Illustrating this, one program

supervisor has begun periodic "field inspections" to check on the SROs' appearance

and equipment because he had found that "they were starting to look a little sloppy

wearing jeans and sneakers" (although the SROs were not required to wear uniforms).

• In a county in which supervisors trusted the SROs to be in their schools (and assumed

administrators would call them if the were not), one SRO was regularly leaving school

for a tryst. The discovery created very bad publicity for the department. 

• As discussed in chapter 4, "Minimizing Turnover Among SROs," some highly effective

SROs get burned out or become dissatisfied with the position but keep their

unhappiness to themselves. Programs need to do their best not to lose these SROs by

keeping in regular touch and staying alert to any signs of frustration with the

assignment that can be addressed before it is too late.
SRO Program Guide 151

Finally, as Sergeant Lowell Rademacher, the (now retired) program supervisor in

Marshall, Minnesota, pointed out, "The level of supervision depends on the nature

of the individual SRO—some need a lot, some little." But all require at least a basic

level—and sometimes more than they and their supervisors think.

Approaches to Effective Supervision 

While it is important to establish formal procedures for supervising SROs,

departments must first be clear about what activities they expect their SROs to

undertake. 

Identify the SRO Responsibilities That Supervisors Need to Monitor

Several supervisors and SROs report that, without formal documentation of the

officers' specific roles and responsibilities, supervisors will have a difficult time

monitoring them because the SROs are likely to be unclear about what is expected

of them and supervisors will be uncertain about what they should be looking for. To

help prevent this problem, the contract between the Sarasota County Sheriff's

Office and School District includes a five-page description of the SROs'

responsibilities at each grade level that supervisors use to monitor and assess the

officers' performance. The box "Detailed, Written SRO Responsibilities" provides

examples of how two other programs have facilitated supervision by preparing

detailed written descriptions of the SROs' responsibilities that supervisors use as

guidelines for making sure the officers are doing what they are supposed to be

doing-and not doing what they should not be doing. 

Detailed, Written SRO Responsibilities Make Effective Supervision Possible

The Jefferson City, Missouri, program's memorandum of agreement with the school district stipulates

that the SROs:

• Will be in the hallways during all class changes and lunch periods.

• Will not act as a school disciplinarian.

• Will not conduct locker checks without probable cause.

• Will not leave the school facility without prior notification of the School Administrator and/or the

School Resource Officer Supervisor.

• Will not transport a sick or injured child for medical assistance.

The Schaumburg, Illinois, program's School Resource Officer Operations Manual includes a detailed

list of SRO responsibilities, such as:

• Teach lessons in gang/violence resistance and gang/alcohol resistance to all students.

• Interact with students as a positive role model during lunch and study hall periods.

• Establish a working relationship with behaviorally at risk students.

• Work with parents on runaway problems.
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Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Sample Activities Tracked in SRO Logs

The following are some of the most common activities program supervisors require

their SROs to track.

• complaints • referrals to other agencies

• completed reports • meetings 

• arrests • classroom lectures/presentations

• weapons confiscated • after-school events 

• investigations • parent and child counseling 

sessions

Implement Multiple Supervision Approaches

There is a variety of approaches SRO programs can use to supervise SROs:

• require and review SRO activity logs;

• review case or arrest reports;

• host regular meetings with SROs as a group;

• visit the school campus;

• maintain telephone or radio communication;

• survey students; 

• survey teachers; and

• formally evaluate SRO performance.

Several supervisors and SROs report that the most effective supervision occurs

when programs use two or more approaches to monitoring the officers'

performance. The programs in Sarasota County and Palm Beach County, Florida,

and Maury County, Tennessee, described in the case studies at the end of this

chapter, all use multiple approaches to supervising their SROs, including several of

the following methods.

Require and Review SRO Logs

The most common method programs use to supervise SROs is to require weekly

or monthly activity logs. Most programs require the SROs to include not only

activity counts but also narrative detail—because, as the program supervisor in

Boone, North Carolina, reported, "Having narrative helps me identify subtle issues

in the schools that might not be obvious if I just received activity counts." One

sheriff's office requires SROs to get teachers' signatures on the officers' logs to

verify that the officers have actually taught the classes listed in their logs. The box

"Sample Activities Tracked in SRO Logs" summarizes the types of activities most

departments require SROs to track. 
SRO Program Guide 153

The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina and the Delaware State Police

use an incident tracking software program called School COP developed with funding

from the National Institute of Justice. Distributed at COPS in School trainings funded

by the COPS Office. The software with instructions and a sample database are

available for free at www.schoolcopsoftware.com. Chapter 8, "Maintaining Program

Funding," provides additional information about the software in the section on

"Documentation of Program Activity." 

While just having to fill out the logs may serve to keep some SROs on their toes,

supervisors need to review the logs conscientiously to follow up on any apparent

problems they reveal (see the box "Following Up on Concerns Raised by SRO

Logs").

In many cases, supervisors distribute the SROs' reports to school administrators and,

in some cases, city or county commissioners, who may use the information to

conduct their own program oversight. 

• In Illinois, the Schaumburg School District assistant superintendent of schools

reports he reads the SROs' monthly reports not only to monitor the officers'

activities but also "because board members may call me on an incident at a school

and ask for more information about it. For example, when drugs were detected at a

junior high school, there was a rumor that they were being distributed at a soccer

field. I knew this wasn't true—just one kid was involved and he was arrested—

because of what I read in the SRO's monthly report."

• The Marshall Police Department program supervisor submits the SROs' monthly

reports to the chief who forwards them to the city council. 

• A representative from the Maury County School District in Tennessee reviews

SROs' weekly logs to track their activities and the types of problems officers are

addressing. He also uses the information to keep the county commissioners

informed about the program's activities.

Review Case or Arrest Reports

In most programs, supervisors review SROs' case records and arrest reports for

accuracy, completeness, readability, and the need for follow up. Of course, all police

agencies require supervisors to review officers' arrest reports, but they do it with

varying degrees of thoroughness and follow up. Because arrests of students can

result in parental confrontations and telephone calls to local officials, supervisors

need to be especially conscientious about reviewing their SROs' reports.
154 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Meet Regularly With SROs as a Group

Many supervisors hold regular meetings with SROs in order to: 

• provide supervisors an opportunity to share department and programmatic

information;

• provide SROs an opportunity to meet with peers to discuss common issues and

trends;

• assure that the SROs are visiting the department on a regular basis; and

• generate a "team" feeling and esprit de corps among the SROs.

These meetings also afford an opportunity for supervisors to "read between

the lines" of what SROs say to identify problems the officers may be having.

In addition, simply by gathering the SROs together and encouraging them to "vent,"

supervisors may learn of issues that the officers themselves will not volunteer to

discuss.

In a few programs, school administrators participate in the meetings, which, many

supervisors report, provides not only a greater opportunity to have problems with

the SROs or the program raised but also a chance to solve them on the spot. The

meetings also give supervisors the opportunity to address any confusion school

staff may have related to appropriate SRO activities and department procedure.

Following Up on Concerns Raised in SRO Logs

Diligent supervisors follow up on "red flags" or missing information in SROs' logs. 

• When a Sarasota County program supervisor informed the unit commander he had

noticed that an SRO had not reported having taught any classes during the

previous six weeks, the commander told the supervisor to tell the SRO to get into

the classroom more.

• When a supervisor in Maury County saw from an SRO's logs that the officer was

not teaching many classes but had high arrest numbers, he explained to the SRO

that he was being too reactive and needed to do things like increase the number of

violence prevention classes rather than make so many arrests.

• The Boone Police Department supervisor could tell from an SRO's logs that the

officer was being too counselor-oriented and trying to solve student problems on

his own instead of referring students to appropriate local resources for help.
SRO Program Guide 155

• The Lakewood Police Department's roundtable meetings held once or twice a

semester to discuss problems and trends in the schools include not only the

program supervisor and the SROs but also school administrators. Sergeant

Patricia Heffner, the program supervisor, reports that "the roundtables give me an

opportunity to identify issues I might have missed during individual discussions

with SROs and school administrators." 

• In another site, an advisory committee consisting of parents, a teacher, a

community group member, and a school board member, as well as the SROs, the

chief deputy, and school administrators, meets monthly to share information about

the program's operation. 

Visit Schools

Supervisors in many programs visit their SROs' schools to talk with the officers,

school administrators, or both, and to observe how the SROs interact with

students. Most supervisors are limited to visiting only once a year because of their

other responsibilities or because of the large number of participating schools or

long distances between them. Nevertheless, some supervisors manage to visit

more often.

• Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, the program supervisor with the Oklahoma County

Sheriff's Office, visits one to three different schools each week. 

• Captain Tim Carney in Sarasota County expects each supervisor to visit

unannounced each high school and middle school to which his SROs are

assigned at least once a week and each elementary school at least every other

week. 

• Lieutenant Chris Hagwood, supervisor of the Garner, North Carolina, Police

Department program, tries to observe the three SROs at their schools once a

month, including observing them teach.

• The Boone Police Department supervisor drives by the high school most

mornings so the principal knows he is accessible and available to discuss any

issues or suggested improvements. 

Visiting schools not only provides an opportunity to monitor the SROs' activities, it

also demonstrates to school administrators how important the police or

sheriff's department considers the program to be.

Some supervisors in smaller departments do not place much emphasis on visits

because they say they are confident that, because of their close relationships with
156 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

school administrators, principals and assistant principals will contact them quickly if

there is a problem with the SROs. However, as explained above, this confidence

can be misplaced (see the box above, "Even Well Qualified, Experienced SROs

Need Supervision").

In some cases, supervisors plan their visits to observe SROs give

presentations, teach classes, or supervise extracurricular events. 

• Supervisors in the Chula Vista, California, program observe the elementary

school level SROs teach at least once a year, showing up at random and sitting

in the back of the class. Sergeant William (Joe) Cline, one of the supervisors,

believes "This is just sound supervision. As a supervisor, [by observing the SROs

teach] you can better assess the skills and abilities of your staff for their yearly

evaluations and for continuous feedback, praise, and, when necessary,

development." 

• In addition to observing SROs teach, Tucson, Arizona, Police Department

supervisors go to selected after-school or weekend events that SROs run or play

a prominent role in.

Of course, most supervisors visit the schools immediately whenever there is a

major problem that requires a ranking officer's attention. 

Maintain Telephone or Radio Communication

Program supervisors in one program rely heavily on telephoning SROs to keep

tabs on what they are doing and anticipate any problems. Many other departments

issue cell phones or pagers to their SROs to help maintain contact between officers

and program supervisors. 

Dispatchers Track SRO Activities in One Program

In a small site in Kentucky, the SRO calls in his activities to the law enforcement

dispatch center. When a new activity starts, he radios in and the dispatcher records

the precise time and activity category (e.g., "going on patrol now;" "responding to call

to investigate possible drug use;" "going to teach driver ed now"). Of course, patrol

officers and road deputies in all agencies radio their dispatchers when they initiate an

activity and have "cleared" a scene. However, the dispatch system in this community

calculates time spent on each activity and can aggregate time spent on various

activities on a weekly or any other basis. 
SRO Program Guide 157

Survey Students

The supervisor of the Jefferson City, Missouri, program conducts surveys of

randomly selected 7th, 9th, and 12th grade students on perceptions of safety and

opinions of the SRO, asking such questions as, "Does the SRO help you feel better

about the police?" "Does your SRO attend extracurricular events?" "Are you able to

talk easily with your SRO?" When the data showed that several students did not

know who or where one SRO was, the supervisor instructed the officer to be in

front of the school when the buses arrived and to walk through the cafeteria at

lunch. 

Survey Teachers

The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office administers a formal survey twice a year to

teachers asking about the faculty's:

• perceptions of their own safety and safety of the school;

• knowledge and interactions with their school's SRO; and

• opinions of the officers' performance in such areas as visibility, rapport with

students, communication skills, and impact on the school environment. 

The program supervisor uses the information to improve the program. For example,

when several teachers reported that the SROs were not in the school enough, the

supervisor tried to reduce the number of times the officers were pulled from the

schools to attend court.

Formally Evaluate SRO Performance

Several programs report that developing a strong performance evaluation system

for SROs is important to:

• be able to identify areas in which SROs need to improve;

• learn how to increase the effectiveness of the program as a whole; 

• hold the department accountable for the program's performance;

• provide a method of securing school administrators' comments on the program

and on individual SROs' strengths and weaknesses; and

• secure information that can be used to market and sustain the program.

In many cases, departments evaluate SROs using the same criteria they use for

assessing patrol officer performance. However, several supervisors in the study

reported that the information they obtain from this type of assessment makes it

difficult to identify how the SROs' performance might be improved, while some

SROs report that the questions are unsatisfying to them because the assessment

fails to consider the unique activities they perform in the schools. As a result, many
158 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

departments included in the study use one of two approaches to monitoring the

specific behavior SROs engage in:

• Include additional performance measures in the standard performance

evaluation that make it more applicable to SROs. For example, the Garner

Police Department uses a performance appraisal software to score patrol officers

in five areas but includes two additional areas for SROs—teaching and

counseling. For each of the two SRO-specific areas, the software identifies a

number of specific focuses to help assess each officer's strength and

weaknesses. For example, teaching includes:

a) Comes to presentations well prepared.

b) Organizes information in a logical and pedagogic manner.

c) Meets the needs of the audience (faculties or students).

d) Stimulates public interest and attention.

e) Motivates learners to take action when needed.

f) Leaves room for questions and discussions. 

By retaining the measures for patrol officers but including measures tailored to the

SROs' work, departments and SROs are able to maintain some consistency in their

performance reviews as the officers make the transition from street work to school

work and back. 

• Develop and use only performance measures that are specific to the SRO

position, such as classroom teaching, relating to students, and working well with

school administrators. According to Jim Aquilo, Administrative Assistant to the

Superintendent in Plain Local School District in Stark County, Ohio, school

administrators developed their own SRO assessment measures to make sure the

measures addressed the school district's needs in having an SRO in the schools

(see appendix A). The Sarasota County program has also developed

performance measures tailored to the unique work SROs perform (see the case

study at the end of the chapter). Furthermore, the program's evaluation procedure

provides for the supervisor and SRO to develop a written plan and a mutually

agreed-upon 30-, 60-, or 90-day deadline by which the officer will remedy any

problems. Five law enforcement agencies, with assistance from the COPS Office,

have developed specific outcome goals for SROs and identified ways of

measuring how well the officers have achieved each goal (see the box "SRO

Performance Measures That Five Law Enforcement Agencies Developed"). 

Involve School Administrators in Assessing SRO Performance

Many programs have found it extremely helpful to involve school administrators in

helping to assess their SROs' performance. 
SRO Program Guide 159

Why Involve School Administrators

Programs offer a number of compelling reasons for bringing principals and

assistant principals into the assessment process.

• Principals and assistant principals can usually assess SROs' performance in

ways that program supervisors cannot because school administrators have

vastly more contact with SROs. In effect, because of their daily contact with the

SROs, they are the police agency's on-site "eyes and ears." 

• Principals and assistant principals have a much better grasp than the law

enforcement agency can ever have of the problems in their schools that the

SROs can help address. For example, one school district asked its SRO to

expand the topics included in his elementary school lesson plans after teachers

and students requested that the officer cover other important issues besides

gangs. 

• Insofar as SRO programs represent collaboration between law enforcement and

the schools, it is only logical that there should be collaboration in terms of

supervision. In addition, including school administrators in the supervision of

SROs conveys the message that they are valuable partners in the joint initiative.

• Supervisors who do not have the authority to replace SROs, or are uncertain

about whether they will be supported if they ask their superiors for permission to

remove an SRO, can use administrator evaluations to buttress their case. A

principal turned in a written evaluation to the supervisor in one program

documenting that the SRO was performing poorly and liked being an SRO only

because of the weekday, daytime hours. The supervisor already knew about the

problem but had been unable to remove the officer until he had the school

administrator's negative evaluation.

Indeed, most good SROs want their school administrators to provide supervisors

with their opinions of the officers' performance. Because school administrators in

one school district do not evaluate their SROs, one SRO went out of his way to ask

his assistant principal at the end of the school year to provide a written evaluation

of him. "When my yearly evaluation [by the sheriff's office ] comes up, I want a

record of what I have done and how well I did it, and how the administrator feels

about my work." 
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Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

SRO Performance Measures That Five Law Enforcement Agencies Developed*

With funding from the COPS Office, Circle Solutions, Inc, a professional services firm in the

Washington, D.C., area, piloted an outcome-oriented SRO performance evaluation process

with five law enforcement agencies in six schools. For each SRO for the coming year, a

group of SROs, their supervisors, and program "consumers"—students, faculty, staff, and

parents—identified three to six goals specific to the crime and disorder problems in the

officer's school. The consumer group designed measures to determine whether the

SRO achieved the goals and helped collect the data. Throughout the school year, SROs

implemented activities designed to achieve the goals and tracked their activities. At the end

of the year, the consumer group reconvened to assess how well the SROs had achieved

their goals. The purpose of these efforts was to integrate the findings into the SROs'

performance evaluation and to use the findings to adjust the activities the SROs would

implement during the following school year.

The matrix below identifies some of the goals and measures the group developed. The full

project report, as well as a guide for replicating the SRO performance evaluation process, is

available from www.copsinschools.org. 

Outcome Goals

Reduce fights or bullying on campus

Reduce gang activity on school grounds

Improve trust and relationships between 

SRO and students

Reduce the incidence of drug violations by

students in school

Reduce neighborhood offenses (e.g.,

criminal mischief, robbery) by students

during school hours

Measures of Achievement

• Incident reports for fights

• Discipline referrals for fighting or

attempting to fight

• Suspensions for assaults, fighting, or

threats

• Police crime reports on assaults and 

battery

• Student survey on threats, victimization,

and knowledge of anti-bullying strategies

• Student survey on the prevalence of

gang behaviors

• Parent survey regarding their knowledge

of gang signs and behavior

• School staff survey regarding knowledge

of gang signs and behaviors, and 

prevalence of gang behaviors

• Student survey regarding familiarity with

SROs and comfort level approaching

them

• Incident reports of use or sales

• Arrest reports

• Student referrals for alcohol or drug use

• Calls for service

• Crime reports

* Information provided by Circle Solutions, Inc., McLean, Virginia: (703) 821-8955.
SRO Program Guide 161

Areas of SRO Performance That Programs Can Ask School Administrators to

Review

Typically, programs provide school administrators with a specific set of questions to

answer in assessing SRO performance. Appendixes B and C present the

assessment forms that the Olympia, Washington, and Pine Bluffs, Arkansas, police

departments distribute to school administrators. The box "Sample Performance

Areas and Measures That School Administrators Can Use to Assess SRO

Performance" lists some of the areas of SRO performance that programs frequently

ask school administrators to assess and some of the ways administrators can

evaluate the officers' performance in each area of performance.

Sample Performance Areas and Measures That School Administrators Can Use 

to Assess SRO Performance

Performance Areas Sample Assessment Criteria

Professionalism Demeanor

Appearance

Punctuality

Discretion

Communication Skills Speaking ability

Ability to verbalize effectively

Listening skills

Knowledge of Job and Duties Knowledge of laws and arrest powers 

Knowledge of reporting responsibilities 

Job Performance Classroom management skills

Teaching skills

Participation in extracurricular activities

Productivity

Handling noncriminal incidents

Conflict resolution

Community Relations Accessibility to students

Relationship with parents

Relationship with teachers

Crisis Intervention Crises and safety planning

Handling criminal incidents

Impact on the school environment
162 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Rating Schemes

After the program has identified the information it will solicit from school

administrators, it needs to consider how performance will be measured. The box

"Examples of Methods School Administrators Use to Rate SRO Performance"

suggests a variety of different rating schemes. Most departments ask

administrators to rate officer performance in specific areas using a 3-, 4-, or 5-point

scale, which provides degrees of agreement or disagreement with each

performance measure. 

Most programs ask school administrators to answer a few open-ended questions

regarding the SROs' strengths and weaknesses, suggest areas for improvement, or

explain the choice of a low rating Supervisors can use such supporting information

during performance reviews to reinforce their recommendations to the SROs for

why and how they need to improve. 

Examples of Methods School Administrators Use to Rate SRO Performance

Performance Area

Organizational skills (e.g., scheduling,

flow of material, dependability)

Desire to have this particular SRO Officer

return to your school next year (as a

guideline, a rating of "3" indicates that

you would be content with any SRO

Officer, including this one; a "5" means

you absolutely want him/her to return,

specifically; a "1" would indicate that

another officer should be assigned to

your school)

Provides security in and around building,

particularly at student arrival and

departure times

Assists in mediating disputes in a nonviolent manner

Judgment-ability to accurately assess

situations and act accordingly

Professionalism-presents a good image

with appearance and actions

Effectiveness as a teacher

a. Control of classroom c. Preparation

b. Content of classes d. Interest in students

Officer's presence contributes to an

increased perception of safety

Rating Scheme

Scale of 1 to 5 (5 highest, 1 lowest)

Scale of 1 to 5 (5 highest, 1 lowest)

1= meets standard of school district; 2 =

sometimes meets the standard; 3 =

needs improvement 

1= meets standard of school district; 2 =

sometimes meets the standard; 3 =

needs improvement 

4-point scale (poor, fair, good, excellent) 

4-point scale (poor, fair, good, excellent) 

5-point scale (strongly agree, agree,

don't know, disagree, strongly disagree)

5-point scale (strongly agree, agree,

don't know, disagree, strongly disagree)
SRO Program Guide 163

Approaches to Involving Schools in Evaluating the SROs and the SRO Program

The program coordinator should collaborate with appropriate school administrators

in determining what would, on the one hand, provide the least burdensome way

principals and assistant principals can provide their assessments yet, on the

other hand, furnish the program with the most useful information about its

SROs. In some programs, school administrators have developed their own forms.

• The Stark County Sheriff's Office encourages administrators from each of its five

partner school districts to review the performance of its SROs at least annually.

Two of the school districts developed specific reporting forms for this purpose.

Jim Aquillo, Plain Local School District Assistant Administrator to the

Superintendent in charge of security, together with a school superintendent in a

near-by school district, developed an evaluation form. They based the form on

examples the SROs had brought back from National Association of School

Resource Officer (NASRO) conferences but revised them to reflect their two

SROs' unique job descriptions. They made sure that the evaluation measures

were related to what the SROs were in fact supposed to be doing (see appendix

A). Twice a year, Aquillo sends the form to all 11 principals in his school district,

summarizes the results he gets back, and submits them to the Stark County

Sheriff's Office SRO program supervisor. 

A few programs add interesting innovations to their approaches to involving school

administrators in the assessment process.

• In addition to formally requesting annual evaluations from teachers and

administrators, when Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, the program supervisor in

Oklahoma County, visits different schools each week, she takes six copies of an

evaluation form to hand out randomly to teachers, coaches, and administrators

she happens to run into in the corridors to verify that the SROs are making

themselves visible in the schools. 

• The Tucson Police Department's annual review of each SRO includes written

comments from the municipal court's prosecuting attorneys-for example,

assessing the officer's ability to testify effectively and the thoroughness and

accuracy of his or her written reports and investigative skills. Program supervisors

telephone the attorneys for their verbal evaluations. 

• The captain in charge of the Sarasota County program makes the program's

three first-line supervisors responsible for getting written evaluations returned by

at least three administrators for each SRO—for example, a principal, assistant

principal, and teacher. 
164 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

In addition to addressing in-person with school administrators and SROs any

problems or issues their evaluations raise, supervisors should review the

assessments to note and address any areas where administrators' expectations of

the SROs' performance may be inconsistent with the supervisors' understanding of

the officers' job duties. 

Supervisors

Supervisors need to devote adequate time and care to monitoring the SROs'

activities to be able to reliably assess the officers' performance. Programs also

stress that it is essential either to select supervisors who are already qualified to

supervise SROs or else train them in how to supervise SROs. 

Establish a Realistic Ratio of Supervisors to SROs 

There is no established standard for an effective ratio of supervisors to SROs. Most

of the programs in the study have only one supervisor, even when the program has

several SROs. For example the Oklahoma County program supervisor monitors 12

SROs, while the King County, Washington, supervisor is responsible for 10 full-time

SROs and 25 part-time SROs. Some supervisors may not be able to monitor such

a large number of SROs properly. As a result, when the Pinellas County, Florida,

School District Police Department saw the need for increased supervision of its

SROs, it negotiated with the school district to give up one-and-one-half of its SROs

in return for funding an additional supervisor. 

A number of other programs have more than one supervisor, typically two or more

sergeants working under a higher ranking officer who frequently has other

responsibilities in addition to running the SRO program (see the box "Sample

Ratios of Supervisors to SROs"). 

Select Supervisors Carefully for the Position

Most departments have no formal procedures for selecting supervisors for the SRO

program beyond what is required by the labor-management agreement or agency

policies and procedures. As one supervisor said, "There is no rhyme or reason in

the selection process" in his agency. In small police departments and sheriff's

agencies, chiefs or sheriffs typically identify one of their few ranking officers to

supervise the SRO—or supervise the SRO themselves. In many larger agencies,

the supervisor assumes the responsibility by virtue of having been promoted to

supervisor of the unit in which the SRO program is housed—for example, the

juvenile bureau or community relations division. 
SRO Program Guide 165

However, departments that have developed formal, detailed procedures for

screening candidates for SRO supervisor positions report the process results in

the selection of qualified individuals who can best ensure that the program is

properly monitored. 

• Tucson: The Human Resources Division opens up the application process at the

request of Rick Hovden, a lieutenant in the bureau in which the SRO program is

housed. Interested sergeants send memorandums of interest to the Human

Resources Division, which forwards them to Hovden. The lieutenant rates

applicants based on what is written in the memo, the person's qualifications, a

review of personnel files, and other considerations. He then interviews each

applicant or, if there are several applicants and he so chooses, he convenes an

interview panel. 

• Chula Vista: The supervisor is a four-year assignment. After the position has

been announced, applicants go before an oral board, which chooses the person.

• Palm Beach: Candidates must past a written test, role play scenarios in front of

an interview panel of supervisors from other law enforcement agencies, be

interviewed by a panel of department captains, and be appointed, after an

interview, by the chief (see the case study at the end of the chapter).

Sample Ratios of Supervisors to SROs

• Virginia Beach: An administrative captain and 4 sergeants supervise 30 SROs.

• Albuquerque: 2 sergeants supervise the 20-person SRO/G.R.E.A.T. unit, each

responsible for 15 schools (10 middle schools, 5 high schools).

• Chula Vista: 2 sergeants and 2 field agents supervise the program's 18 SROs.

Each sergeant handles officers at 49 different schools.

• Tucson: Each of 3 sergeants supervises 8 SROs.

• Palm Beach County: Each of 13 lieutenants (the department has no sergeants)

supervises about 10 SROs.

• Sarasota County: 3 sergeants and 1 captain supervise 27 SROs (see the case

study at the end of the chapter).
166 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

A few programs require applicants to have been SROs. Of course, this is not

feasible when a program is just beginning or the current SROs do not want or are

not suitable for the position. However, when it is an option, the experience can be

invaluable for effective program monitoring. An SRO in one police department

complained that his program supervisors are "not familiar with the program and

may not understand why an SRO handled a situation in a particular way, because

there are differences in how the same problem may be handled in the school

versus on the street." Sergeant Richard Davies, a former SRO in Pine Bluff,

Arkansas, reported that his supervisor once wrote him up because, after a few

years, the SRO's arrests were down. "The upper echelon, using a departmentwide

evaluation measure that rates officers on number of arrests, did not understand

that I had finally brought the school under control to where I did not need to make

so many arrests." The higher-ups told Davies' immediate supervisor (who did

understand that the measure did not apply to SROs) to "counsel" Davies.

Reflecting these problems, the Maury County Sheriff's Department eventually

added experience as an SRO as a selection criterion because, according to

Captain Nathan Johns, "Supervisors need to be able to relate to the issues brought

up at the weekly meetings because they had once been in those shoes." 

Train Supervisors

Few of the programs in the study train program supervisors in how to monitor

SROs. (The 2002 NASRO School Resource Officer Survey—contact

Resourcer@aol.com or call 888-31-NASRO—also found that "school-based law

enforcement supervisors are not specially trained in the supervision of schoolbased officers.") Some supervisors, however, have had related experience or

training that improves their suitability to monitor the SROs' performance. For

example, Sergeant Jerry Thommes, the current police department SRO supervisor

in Schaumburg, was the school liaison officer at the local high school where, unlike

most liaisons, he taught 20 class periods a semester. He had also attended a 40-

hour NASRO training, becoming certified as an SRO. 

Even when supervisors have been SROs themselves, training can give them

guidance in effective methods of assessing SRO performance and providing

constructive criticism. After all, patrol officers or road deputies who are promoted

to sergeant—even though they have been on patrol for years—go to sergeant's

training school before they are thrown out on the streets supervising a group of

officers or deputies. Reflecting this perspective, new supervisors in Palm Beach

County do ride-alongs with experienced supervisors before taking on the new

position (see the case study below).
SRO Program Guide 167

As Sergeant Jerry Thommes did, supervisors with no personal experience as

SROs can attend one of the basic SRO courses offered by several organizations

(see chapter 5, "Training SROs") to learn what SROs should be doing—and not

doing—for purposes of assessing their performance. At least two organizations also

offer specialized training for SRO supervisors: 

• NASRO offers a 24-hour SRO Management Symposium designed to provide

managers with "information, skills and strategies to develop, coordinate, and

maintain a successful SRO program in their school community"—see

www.nasro.org/course_management.asp.

• Corbin & Associates, Inc., offers a 24-hour Supervision and Management of

School-Based Law Enforcement Programs that covers the SRO position "from the

selection interview, through performance reviews, to the removal of problem

officers"—see www.srotraining.com/description.html. The sergeant who

supervises the Lakewood SRO program attended this course. 

* * * * *

The case studies that follow illustrate how three programs have gone about

providing timely and thorough training for their SROs.

• In addition to requiring SROs to complete activity logs, the program operated by

the Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Office formally evaluates SROs twice a

year with mandatory school administrator participation. The agency's StarTrac

meetings, a departmentwide accountability tool patterned after New York City's

Compstat sessions, provide an opportunity for the program to explain its activities

and successes and a chance for the sheriff and majors to ask pointed questions

about what the program is doing and how it can improve—and publicly commend

high quality performance.

• The Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department requires SROs to complete

an activity log every other week that provides 29 pieces of information. Program

supervisors compare the information in the logs over time and across schools,

and submit the reports to the county board of education and the county

commission. The department holds a mandatory weekly meeting for all SROs and

SRO supervisors which the sheriff often attends that enables SROs and

supervisors to identify and resolve any problems. All candidates for supervisor

must have experience as SROs.
168 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

• The Palm Beach County School District Police Department's process for selecting

and training front-line supervisors is especially thorough. Candidates must be

recommended by their supervisors; pass a written test on State and county law

and the department's own general orders; role play scenarios in front of an

interview panel of supervisors from other law enforcement agencies; and be

interviewed and scored by a panel of department captains. Applicants who pass

are sent to a police academy for 40 hours of management training and, when a

supervisory position opens up, spend four days doing ride-alongs with

experienced supervisors.

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Department (500 sworn)

Three sergeants devote full-time to supervising 27 SROs. A captain who

commands the Youth Services Bureau, Tim Carney, spends full-time overseeing the

entire program. Carney was an SRO himself for eight years. 

Openings for supervisor are posted agencywide, and Carney either selects

someone on his own or convenes a panel of officers, including existing SRO

supervisors, to interview the candidates. Having been an SRO weighs heavily in

favor of the applicant—as a result, most supervisors have been SROs. 

As described below, the program relies on several methods of supervising SROs:

• SRO activity logs;

• StarTrac meetings;

• visits to schools to talk with administrators and observe SROs teach;

• formal twice-yearly evaluations of SRO performance; and

• formal participation by school administrators.

SRO Activity Logs

Supervisors make use of SRO logs to help monitor the officers' activities.

• An SRO's log indicated that he had not taught any classes during the previous six

weeks. While the supervisor told the captain that the SRO was doing a lot of

coaching "and the kids love him," and the other SRO at the school was doing

considerable teaching, Captain Tim Carney still told the supervisor to tell the SRO

to get into the classroom more.

• After a lewd and indecent incident at a school, the SRO documented in his log

that he had submitted a school report. According to the SRO, "When Captain

Carney read my log, he wanted to know why I hadn't submitted a police report. I

told him that the victim's parents wanted the problem handled administratively,

and I had documented that."
SRO Program Guide 169

• Another SRO said, "We have to teach certain classes for certain grade levels,

and the log now shows the status of all the classes—how far we are along in

teaching each course for each grade level. That way, supervisors can warn you,

for example, that the school year is coming to an end and you haven't started or

completed a particular course you're responsible for teaching every year. My

supervisor once pointed out to me that I hadn't completed one of my teaching

assignments. I explained that the 3rd and 4th grade teachers were tied up every

class teaching for the FCAT [Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test] given in

March, so they would not let me in their classrooms until after the test. But this

shows that the supervisors are tracking the SROs' progress through our reports."

SROs submit their logs to the program secretary a few days before each StarTrac

meeting (see below); supervisors screen them for errors or unusual entries and

then review the statistics together before presenting them at StarTrac. 

StarTrac Meetings

The sheriff's office has adopted a variation on the New York City Compstat system,

called StarTrac, involving a meeting every six weeks of top command staff (sheriff,

majors) to review each bureau's activities (e.g., special operations, day shift

operations) during the preceding month-and-a-half and to follow up on issues

raised at the previous meeting. A number of other ranking officers attend as

observers. Bureau commanders give PowerPoint presentations describing their

units' activities. The sheriff and majors ask questions, criticize failures and discuss

remedies, and praise good performance. 

The Youth Services Bureau—consisting entirely of the SRO program—

presents an update on the SRO program at each meeting. The box "A StarTrac

Meeting Discussion About the SRO Program" illustrates how the procedure helps to

hold SROs—and their supervisors—accountable for their activities and time. "There

is so much more accountability with StarTrac," one SRO said. "You need to be able

to account for your numbers [on your logs]." 

Visits to Schools

The previous commander had wanted the supervisors to remain in the office to be

available in case an emergency occurred that they would need to address on short

notice. The new captain, Tim Carney, wanted supervisors to be more visible on

campus where they could supervise the SROs and meet frequently with

principals to identify problems with the SROs early rather than getting

"blindsided" by the news of problems at the end of each year during the principals'

annual evaluation of the SROs. In addition, with the advent of cell phones, the

supervisors, even if they were at a school could be contacted and respond

immediately in the event of a crisis.
170 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

A StarTrac Meeting Discussion About the SRO Program

Captain Tim Carney, commander of the Youth Services Bureau, presents a 30-

minute report and then answers questions about the SRO program, including reading

letters of commendation for three SROs. Carney displays charts of crime statistics

for the schools countywide and then for each school in the district. Each chart (see

the examples in appendixes D and E) shows:

• statistics for the current reporting period (i.e., previous six weeks), the previous

reporting period, and the differences between the two; and

• current and previous year-to-date statistics, and the differences between the two.

Another matrix identifies the specific meetings the SROs have attended (e.g.,

Kiwanis, Boy Scouts), the dates, and the names of the SROs who attended. 

A major asks a series of questions:

• "What were the circumstances surrounding the bomb threat?" 

• "It looks like three of your SROs were stuck with the really tough assignment of

chaperoning Grad Night. How did that go?"

• "Why has [the crime of] battery gone down so much in the schools compared with

the previous reporting period?" 

Carney: "Kids get squirrelly this time of year and get suspended, plus the

bullying curriculum." 

• "Why have disturbances gone down?" 

Carney: "Spring break reduces the number because school is not in session."

• Sheriff: "Do kids calm down because they're afraid of not graduating?" 

Carney: "Yes." 

• Major: "Look into why disturbances are down to make sure there aren't problems

that aren't going unrecorded." 

Carney: "We will check into that."

The sheriff congratulates an SRO who recovered a valuable piccolo that had been

stolen. After a description of how the SROs handled a bomb scare, a major says,

"Good job."

Sergeant Tim Enos, one of the three supervising sergeants, then gives a

presentation on prom/graduation alcohol prevention activities. The sheriff says, "very

good—you're doing a good job. It's a whole community effort. Excellent."
SRO Program Guide 171

Carney's goal is for each supervisor to visit—unannounced—each high school and

middle school to which his SROs are assigned at least once a week and each

elementary school at least every other week. This can be difficult at times because

the schools are so spread out. However, one school principal reported that "Carney

has the supervisors come out [to the schools] a lot to talk with the principals and

assistant principals. The principals are often in the rotunda area at the beginning of

the day, and the supervisors can easily ask how things are going." 

Carney requires that supervisors observe their SROs teach at least once each year

to be able to evaluate them in this area on the annual assessment form. While

observing a new SRO teach, Sergeant Tim Enos noticed that the deputy allowed a

student to crack jokes to other nearby students during the class until the SRO

eventually told him to be quiet or leave the class. After the class, Enos suggested

that the SRO walk around the class and "spend time near the class 'clown'—don't

stand next to the good kids." 

Formal Evaluations of SRO Performance

Supervisors complete semi-annual and annual reviews of each SRO. For both

reviews, supervisors give a performance management rating of "exceeds

standard," "meets standard," or "fails." 

Following the department's procedure in its General Orders for all personnel, if an

SRO gets a less than satisfactory rating on an item, the supervisor can give the

officer 30, 60, or 90 days to bring the work up to a satisfactory level.

• A supervisor gave an SRO who got an unsatisfactory rating on "coming to work

on time" 30 days to come on time every day. The supervisor then went to the

school periodically over the next two months and checked with the school

principal to make sure the SRO arrived on time. If the SRO had failed to improve

his performance, he would have received additional counseling from the

supervisor, then a written reprimand, then termination from the program.

• A patrol officer once wrote a reprimand on an SRO he saw swear at a student

and "get in his face." The SRO supervisor gave the officer 60 days in which to

have no complaints filed against him for profanity; counseled him on the need to

behave in a professional manner; and explained why swearing was not

acceptable. Because the SRO admitted to having "lost it" and sworn at the

student, and apologized for his behavior, the supervisor recommended to Captain

Tim Carney that the officer not lose a day's pay, and the captain agreed. 
172 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Involving the Schools in Evaluating the SROs

At the end of each school year, supervisors give school administrators an SRO

Evaluation Form on which to record their assessments of their SROs. The form

provides the opportunity to rate the officers as poor, fair, good, and excellent in 20

different areas, such as "Availability" and "Amount of Classroom Participation" (see

the box "School Administrator Criteria for Rating SRO Performance"). The form

also provides space for a written description of the officer's strengths, suggestions

for improvement, and additional comments. 

Program supervisors must receive evaluations by at least three

administrators for each SRO—for example, a principal, assistant principal, and

teacher. If the forms are not returned, Sergeant Tim Enos reminds the

administrators to complete them. Supervisors total the ratings for an overall score

and discuss it with the SROs. 

The previous year, in his evaluation and year-end discussion with the SRO, an

elementary school principal noted the need for the officer to get more comfortable

with younger kids and relate to them—"Little kids are afraid of cops," the principal

observed. The SRO needed to get into the lower grade classrooms, have a

targeted program for them, and establish rapport with their teachers. The principal

reported that the following year the SRO had improved considerably in this area.

"Last year's evaluation meeting was very beneficial in producing this change." The

principal also commented that teachers in effect give feedback on the SRO's

teaching because "for them to give up a class a week to the SRO in this age of

teacher accountability suggests that the SRO must be good." 

Robyn Marinelli, the school district's supervisor of student services,

periodically attends the captain's regular meetings with the SROs. "One big

problem [that she brought up at these meetings] is that high school principals forget

the SROs don't work for the school district. For example, the administrators want

the SROs available for evening activities but can't make them come, so they call

me and I call Captain Carney." 

Marinelli and Carney also review each school at the end of the year but, because

they talk regularly throughout the year, there are rarely any surprises in June. 
SRO Program Guide 173

Finally, the school district conducts an annual survey of students, parents, and

teachers on school climate, including fear of crime. However, because usually 80-

90 percent of respondents report feeling safe, Marinelli has never raised the survey

results with Carney.

Case Study: Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department (61 sworn)

A captain spends about 20 percent of his time supervising the administration of the

Maury County program, while two sergeants (who are also SROs) provide day-today supervision for nine SROs each. The department had tried having one

lieutenant supervise the whole program but found that one person could not

supervise 20 officers across the county's 612 square miles. 

The sergeants are responsible for answering questions from their SROs, dealing

with serious incidents at the schools, visiting the schools, and conducting SRO

performance reviews. While all sergeants in the department are promoted through

the civil service process, the department added a requirement that

candidates for SRO supervisor have experience as SROs to increase their

competence. 

Supervisors monitor the SROs through: 

• bi-weekly activity logs;

• weekly meetings; and

• annual evaluations that include participation by school administrators.

School Administrator Criteria for Rating SRO Performance

Judgment: Ability to accurately assess situations and act accordingly.

Dependability: Can be counted on to perform assigned duties with little supervision.

Availability: Is accessible when needed and makes self visible on campus.

Handling of Non-Criminal Incidents: Handles miscellaneous incidents

appropriately.

Conflict Resolution: (Students, Staff, Parents) Able to deescalate conflict situations.

Teamwork/Relationship with Faculty: Has established a rapport with, and is

considered a part of, the administrative team.

Amount of Classroom Participation: Promotes SRO presentations, good

classroom resource.

Involvement in School-Related Activities: (active in clubs, conferences, athletics,

programs, etc.) Is active during and after school.

"Going the Extra Mile": Goes beyond what is expected.
174 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

SRO Logs

The program monitors the day-to-day activities of SROs using detailed,

comprehensive bi-weekly activity reports prepared by each officer. The 29 pieces of

information called for in each report range from the number of offense reports

completed, to the number of gang-related incidents investigated, to the number of

advisory sessions held with students, parents, and teachers (see appendix F). 

Supervising sergeants and the captain review the reports, making comparisons

over time and across schools. The supervisors use the reports to identify potential

problems. For example, when the number of assaults in a school increased and the

number of hours the SRO was spending teaching decreased, a sergeant

suggested the SRO spend more time teaching conflict resolution in an effort to

decrease the level of violence in the school. 

The department submits the reports to the county board of education and the

county commission to document how SROs are spending their time. A county

commissioner said, "The reports help the commission understand how productive

the SROs really are and also demonstrate that SROs are not just dealing with

students but also with the public." 

Weekly Meetings

Every Wednesday for an hour the department holds a mandatory meeting at

headquarters for all SROs and SRO supervisors that the sheriff also often attends.

The primary purpose of the meeting is to bring all staff together to share

information and discuss department and program-specific issues. The department

also uses the meetings to provide brief presentations regarding recent trends or to

invite a local service provider, such as the fire department, to discuss safety

presentations that could be made at the schools at the SROs' request. The

meetings serve an important supervisory function because they give SROs the

opportunity to ask supervisors questions—and vice versa—and have inperson discussions about problems or trends. 

Performance Reviews

The sergeants review the SROs' performance twice a year, once informally and

once formally (using a generic county government form used with all department

deputies). During both reviews, sergeants meet with school administrators to

discuss any problem areas and request that the administrators complete an SRO

Development Report. This report asks administrators to rate the SROs on a 1-3

scale in 10 areas and to provide written comments as needed (see the box "Areas

in Which School Administrators Rate SRO Performance").
SRO Program Guide 175

Case Study: Palm Beach County, Florida, School District Police

Department (149 Sworn)

Because the program must cover a 40-by-50 square mile area, the Palm Beach

School District Police Department divides the county into geographic zones for

supervision purposes, with one lieutenant each (the department has no sergeants)

assigned to supervise 8-12 SROs and 10-15 schools in a single zone. A single

lieutenant supervises most of the elementary school SROs regardless of zone.

Supervision

Supervisors monitor SROs in a number of ways, using:

• weekly activity logs;

• reviews of arrest reports;

• visits to schools; 

• annual evaluations; and

• assessments from school administrators.

SRO Logs

Members of the department have to turn in to their supervisors a daily log of where

they have been and why. SROs log in their time and place as they change

activities and travel. SROs fax or drop off the logs on Mondays. According to one

SRO, "My lieutenant has never questioned my logs, but having to fill them in

makes sure SROs are where they're supposed to be." 

Sample Evaluation Areas on Which School Administrators Rate SRO Performance

Attendance: Presents on job assignment when required; attends extracurricular

activities 

Human relations skills: Tactful with staff, children and the public

Personal appearance: Cleanliness and neatness of uniform

Knowledge of responsibilities: Understands and keeps current on laws,

administrative orders, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations 

Practical judgment: Capacity to handle self in routine and complicated situations, 

independent functioning

Problem-solving: Completes tasks without specific instruction and supervision 

Instructional: Actively instructs safety, law related, or drug education classes

Advisor: Makes self available to meet with students, staff, and parents

Law enforcement: Takes appropriate action when necessary 

Team-oriented: Motivates self to be a part of the overall school environment
176 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Review of Arrest Reports

SROs submit all their arrest reports to their lieutenants, who may provide

comments such as, "This was not well written," "You didn't provide enough

evidence to sustain probable cause for this arrest," or "Maybe in the future you

don't want to make an arrest again in this situation." Supervisors make SROs fix

inadequate reports and, if necessary, require them take a course on report writing

at a community college.

According to one supervisor, some new SROs were writing sub par reports and

were reluctant to improve their writing, but he has been able to get them to write

better reports. After one SRO had reread an old report he had written, he thanked

the lieutenant because he saw the dramatic improvement between the earlier

report and in his most recent reports.

Visits to Schools

Supervisors visit schools regularly. Some talk only with the SROs, but most visit

school administrators while at the school. One administrator reported that he sees

supervisors coming by frequently to check up on the SROs in his school. 

Annual Evaluation

Each supervising lieutenant completes an annual evaluation for each SRO under

his or her supervision (see appendix C in chapter 5, "Training SROs"—this is the

same form that FTOs fill in daily and supervising lieutenants complete for 16

months while new SROs are still on probation). The evaluation covers 12 areas,

ranging from appearance, to report writing, to interpersonal effectiveness with

peers, administrators, students, and the community. Supervisors use a 7-point

rating scale with 1 "not acceptable," 2 "development needed," 3-5 "acceptable,"

and 6-7 "superior." As illustrated in the box "Sample Guidelines for Completing

Performance-Based Evaluation," there is an 11-page set of detailed guidelines that

FTOs and supervisors follow in filling in the evaluation form. The supervisor shares

his or her evaluation with the SRO, and both sign it before it goes up the chain of

command.
SRO Program Guide 177

A Day in the Life of an SRO Supervisor in the Palm Beach School District

Police Department

Lieutenant Rob Woods supervises 10 SROs in 7 schools, plus their elementary

feeder schools. Woods typically starts work between 7:00-7:30 a.m. by going to the

high school, the busiest of his schools, to meet with the two SROs there to review

any problems they may be experiencing, such as a gang-related problem or a

shooting on a beach the night before that may spill over into the school. He also

reviews any upcoming events to make sure there will be enough officers scheduled

to cover them and to set up a plan to supervise the officers. 

At 9:00 a.m., Woods goes to the next school, picking one that has had recent

problems. Later in the day, he meets with the principals at the elementary schools on

their needs and concerns—for example, a number of vehicle burglaries in one

school, parents demanding things at another school, and parents wanting more

police involvement at a third school. Sometimes, elementary principals call him with

a problem, and he assigns an SRO to handle it.* Elementary school principals are

told to call dispatch or him if they need help so that the SROs cannot claim, "I never

got called"—an effort at holding the SROs accountable. Woods gets to about six

schools on a typical day, driving 60-70 miles a day. 

While at each school, Woods reviews the SROs' arrest reports to check their

accuracy (e.g., application of the correct statute) and comprehensiveness ("some

cops try to use shortcuts in reports, so I sometimes have to ask them to expand on

them"). He reviews the reports at the schools with the SROs so he can give the

officers immediate comments. 

Wood's day officially ends at about 4:00 p.m. But at home he finishes paperwork that

he usually does not have time to take care of during the day, ranging from

nominating SROs for awards to memos to the captain on his exam schedule. 

Woods also goes to after-school events, sometimes staying all evening or day (on

weekends) at a single event or moving from event to event. In the case of a game

involving two long-time rivals, he supervised 30 SROs handling 10,000 kids, making

sure the SROs were appropriately assigned and looking out for potential danger.

Woods coordinates with administrators or teachers assigned to the events, with

access to the administrators' home phone numbers in case something happens. 

*Because of geographic considerations, Woods is the only lieutenant responsible for the elementary schools in

his geographic area along with the area's middle and high school SROs. Another lieutenant is responsible for the

SROs in all the other elementary schools throughout the county.
178 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Involvement of School Administrators

Supervisors meet with each school's principal at the end of each school year for an

assessment of their SRO's performance that year. However, according to Kathleen

Weigel, a high school principal, "While the lieutenant sits with me at the end of

every year to evaluate my SRO, there is usually nothing new to say because

the supervisor is at the school two or three times a week and, if there are

issues, we talk about them at that time. So there are no surprises when the

annual evaluation comes." 

Sample Guidelines for Completing Performance-Based Evaluation

Appearance

Unacceptable—Dirty shoes and wrinkled uniform. Uniform fits poorly or is

improperly worn . . . . .

Acceptable—Uniform neat and clean, fits and is worn properly . . . . Shoes are

shined.

Superior—Uniform neat, clean and properly pressed. Leather is shined and shoes

are spit-shined. Displays command presence.

Report Writing

Unacceptable—Is unaware that a report or form needs to be completed/does not

know what reports or forms to utilize.

Acceptable—Is aware of commonly used forms/reports and understands their

function . . . . Completes with reasonable accuracy and thoroughness . . . .

Superior—Consistently makes accurate form selection and completes them without

assistance . . . .

Interpersonal Skills

Unacceptable—Unable to properly establish communication lines with other

[individuals whom the SRO has to work] . . . . Participates in conduct that has the

potential to/or places the department in a negative light . . . .

Acceptable—Actively works at establishing positive relationships . . . .

Superior—Establishes excellent rapport with others . . . . Displays mastery in the

resolution of conflicts.
SRO Program Guide 179

Supervisor Selection and Training

As noted above, all supervisors are lieutenants—the department has no sergeants.

Because lieutenants must come up through the ranks, all are former SROs with the

department; about half have been FTOs in the department. Lieutenants have to

have been in the department for at least two years and have earned 30 additional

education credits. 

Incentives to become a supervisor include unmarked take-home cruisers and a five

percent pay raise. However, supervisors are on a 12-month schedule, because

they have to cover summer schools, all of which are served by one or two

department SROs. 

To become eligible as a supervisor, an SRO has to:

(1) be recommended by his or her supervisor (typically, a captain); 

(2) pass a written test on State and county law, the department's general orders 

and policies and procedures, and exercising leadership (the chief gives the 

applicant a reading list to study for the 100 multiple choice and true/false 

questions developed by a training consultant he hired to do the screening to 

keep himself out of the testing process); 

(3) role play scenarios in front of an interview panel of supervisors from other 

law enforcement agencies (see below); and

(4) be interviewed and scored by a panel of department captains (the chief 

observes but does not score the applicant).

The department contracts with a professional assessment center to assemble

the oral panel consisting of ranking officers from other nearby law

enforcement agencies. Candidates respond from beginning to end to four

scenarios. Scenarios have included: 

• counseling a problem SRO, 

• giving a presentation to parents, 

• dealing with a disgruntled SRO, 

• managing a shooting scene, and 

• responding during a town hall meeting that erupts into a fight. 

Applicants simulate the entire problem-solving exercise from planning to paperwork

to final presentation. Panel members score applicants on a rating of 1-25 on each

scenario. 
180 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs

Each of the four steps is a pass/fail test. When a position opens up, the chief

interviews all the candidates and selects one to fill the opening. The newly

appointed supervisor does a ride-along with experienced lieutenants for four

days before assuming his or her new responsibilities and attends 40 hours of

management training. 
SRO Program Guide 181
182 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
SRO Program Guide 183
184 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
SRO Program Guide 185
186 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
SRO Program Guide 187
188 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
SRO Program Guide 189
190 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 6: Supervising SROs
SRO Program Guide 191

Most programs are funded from two or more sources, making the responsibility for

program support more equitable and less burdensome than if one entity alone had

to pay the entire cost. This chapter discusses the shared funding arrangements of

several of the programs in the study and then describes innovative funding

approaches several programs have discovered. The following chapter, "Maintaining

Program Funding," discusses how programs have gone about motivating potential

funding sources to contribute money—or to maintain or increase the amount of

money they were already contributing to the program.

Who Pays for the Program

Whether program costs are shared among two or more entities does not appear to

depend on how much the program costs. Some of the least expensive programs

have been funded from multiple sources, while some costly programs have only a

single funding source. 

Develop a Realistic Estimate of Program Costs

Whether a single entity pays the entire program's costs or the expenses are shared

among different groups, agencies need to get a good grasp on how much their

programs actually cost. This is not as simple as it sounds. Obviously, program

costs vary according to the number of SROs in the program. However, other

factors make it difficult to calculate program costs or to compare costs

among programs. 

• Starting salaries, as well as average salaries, for police officers and sheriff's

deputies vary widely among jurisdictions. Fringe benefits also vary significantly.

Taken together, these differences can result in one program's costs being double

those of another program even with a similar number of SROs. 

• SRO salaries also vary among programs depending on the officers' length of

employment with the department: SROs who have been with the agency for

many years have higher salaries than do new recruits. Furthermore, in some

programs the SRO position is considered a specialty assignment that requires a

salary increment, or the agency voluntarily provides SROs with a salary stipend

(see the discussion of "Providing Incentives" in chapter 2, "Recruiting SROs").

When combined with differences in salaries and fringe benefits, the cost per SRO

may be under $45,000 or over $100,000. 

• Program costs also vary among sites depending on whether the salaries of

supervisory and support staff are included in the budget. Some supervisors

devote only a small percentage of their time to the program, but others spend full

time on it. A program's purported budget may not take account of the proportion

of these supervisors' salaries that reflects the time they spend on the program. 

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding
192 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

• Training, overtime pay, equipment, and other miscellaneous costs are not

calculated in determining some programs' total costs. Some of these expenses

also represent one-time costs that need to be "amortized" over several years-for

example, cruisers. 

As a result of these considerations, the program's budget in Terrebone Parish,

Louisiana, is $280,000 for 9 SROs, but in Fontana, California, the budget is over

$969,000 for only 8 SROs. Similarly, program costs in Pasquotank County, North

Carolina, are $175,000 for 4 SROs but almost $4,000 more ($178,834) in Boone,

North Carolina, for only 3 SROs. The box "Costs, Sources of Funding, and

Personnel for Selected Programs" presents the budgets of selected programs

included in the study to further illustrate the difficulty predicting—and comparing—

program costs. 

Explore Options for Sharing Program Costs

In some jurisdictions, a single source provides the program's entire funding.

However, increasingly funding sources—whether law enforcement agencies

or school districts—that were previously providing all the money have been

insisting that other groups share the costs (see chapter 8, "Maintaining

Program Funding"). In fact, as illustrated in the box below, funding arrangements

among the programs studied are a patchwork quilt of different configurations. 

Most commonly, program costs are shared between the law enforcement agency

and the school district. However, while it may appear that a police agency or school

district is contributing some or all a program's funding, the money may in fact

come from one or more other sources. For example, the law enforcement

agency's or school district's contribution may represent a supplement provided by

the county or municipality to augment the agency's standard operating budget. 

• The Boone, North Carolina, Police Department is reimbursed for its single SRO

by the school district, which, in turn, receives the money from the State.

• In Virginia Beach, Virginia, the city council adds the cost of the 30 SROs' salaries

and equipment to the police department's annual budget to support the program. 

In some communities, several school districts contribute money to the program

because, when the law enforcement agency's jurisdiction includes more than one

school district, SROs serve the schools in these multiple school districts. 

The Delaware State Police and the King County, Washington, Sheriff's Office,

provide SROs to interested school districts or local governments through somewhat

different cost-sharing arrangements as described in the box "Samples of Cost

Sharing Arrangements."
SRO Program Guide 193

Costs, Sources of Funding, and Personnel for Selected Programs

Program Sponsor 

Terrebone Parish,

Louisiana, Sheriff's

Office 

Tucson, Arizona,

Police Department

Stark County, Ohio,

Sheriff's Office 

Sarasota County,

Florida, Sheriff's

Office

Salem, New

Hampshire, Police

Department

Marshall, Minnesota,

Police Department

Fontana, California,

Police Department

Lakewood, Colorado,

Police Department

Pasquotank, North

Carolina, Sheriff's

Office

Boone, North

Carolina, Police

Department

Delaware State

Police

Total Annual Cost

in Recent Years

$280,000

$2,141,050

$200,000

$2,413,426

$100,000

$80,000

$949,600

$694,982

$175,000

$46,927

$2 million

Funding Source(s)

Sheriff's Office:

$80,000

School District:

$200,000

Police Department:

$2,000,000

Federal Government:

$200,000

Sheriff's Office:

$1,239,713

School District:

$1,173, 713

Police Department:

$100,000

Federal Government:

$40,000

Police Department:

26,000

School District:

$14,000

Federal Government:

$252,000

Police Department:

$507,200

School District:

$190,400

Private Sources:

$20,000 (provided over

a period of

several years)

Police Department:

$694,982

Sheriff's Office:

$78,000 

School District:

$97,000

School District:

$46,927 

State Police:

$1 million

School Districts: 

$1 million 

Funded Full-Time

Personnel

9 SROs

23 SROs

3 supervisors

1 secretary

5 SROs

27 SROs

3 supervisors

1 office manager

2 SROs

1 SRO

8 SROs

7 SROs 1 sergeant

1 secretary

4 SROs

1 SRO

25 SROs
194 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

Samples of Cost Sharing Arrangements

Two law enforcement agencies charge school districts or local governments a fee for each

SRO the programs provide. The fee established by the Delaware State Police covers only

half the cost of the service, while in most cases the fee the King County, Washington,

Sheriff's Office charges covers the entire cost of the service.

Delaware State Police Program

The Delaware State Police serves all counties in the State. Interested school districts submit

a formal request for a specific number of SROs, agreeing to pay the salary of a newly hired

state trooper—$48,724—for each SRO requested. 

The school district must specify how it intends to pay for the SROs. If it plans to use grant

funding, it must specify the length of the grant and any requirement that the SRO be retained

after grant funding ends. The State Police reviews this information carefully to ensure that it

will not be responsible for paying the officer's full salary after the grant has ended. 

If the funding sources are sound, the department then considers its current and authorized

strength levels—that is, the number of sworn officers employed versus the number of

positions authorized by the State legislature—to determine whether it has enough vacancies

to meet the school district's request. If not, the department asks the legislature to authorize

additional positions in the State Police budget to support the request. 

The department must also request additional funds from the State legislature before it can

meet a school district's request for an SRO or another SRO, because the agency places a

seasoned—and relatively expensive—officer with at least five years' experience in the school

as the SRO but is reimbursed by the school district for the entry-level salary of the new

recruit the department uses to replace the SRO. As a result, the police department

contributes the approximately $40,000 difference between the two salaries, including the new

SRO's training and equipment costs. The State Police estimates that, as a result, it pays for

half each new SRO's actual total costs.

King County, Washington, Sheriff's Office Program

No SRO program funding comes from the King County Sheriff's Office general budget. While

in the past Federal funds have been a major source of program support, the program

currently receives no Federal funding either. Instead, each interested incorporated city within

the county, in partnership with its school district, pays the sheriff's office $121,641 for each

full-time SRO the jurisdiction wants to "hire." The annual fee includes the cost of the SRO's

salary ($57,730) and fringe benefits ($20,477), anticipated overtime ($4,524), vehicle and

operating costs ($8,331), department administrative charges ($8,602), precinct support staff

($2,855), and other expenses. The program requires unincorporated areas to reimburse the

sheriff's office only about one-third of the total cost of each SRO with the understanding that

the department will assign the officer to regular patrol or other duties during the summer

months.
SRO Program Guide 195

A few law enforcement agencies pay the entire cost of the program by choice

because they believe they might lose complete control of its operations if the

school district contributed some of the costs. 

• When one SRO program began, the deputy chief of the police department did not

ask the school district to contribute to the program. He maintained this stance

even after the department's budget was cut by over $1 million and he had to

return the SROs to patrol, because he did not want to give up control over the

officers to the schools—"they would dictate when the SROs should make arrests." 

• The SRO supervisor and an assistant chief in another jurisdiction rejected the

idea of asking the school district to contribute funding to the program because

"We lose control. They will call and ask you to do things that you can't then refuse

to do." Even when its COPS in Schools grants expired, the police department

picked up the entire cost of the program. 

While another law enforcement agency bills each participating school district

monthly for 75 percent of the cost of each SRO, the agency deliberately pays 25

percent of the officer's cost itself to be able to have some control over the officers.

For example, the program supervisor feels he has the right to reassign the officers

to patrol on days when school is called off because of snow storms, in-service

faculty training, or other reasons. 

When law enforcement agencies and school districts share program costs, the two

entities negotiate each party's share, with some costs sometimes paid for by still

other sources. 

• In Terrebone Parish, the school district pays half the salaries of five SROs and

the entire salaries of four SROs. The sheriff's office pays the other half of the five

SROs' salaries. Since in 2001 an SRO's annual salary was about $30,000, the

school district's contribution was about $200,000 and the sheriff's department's

contribution about $80,000.

• In Chula Vista, California, the police department and secondary school district

split the cost of 12 of the current 18 SROs and one field agent, with each entity in

2004 contributing $545,912. The elementary school district pays 40 percent of the

cost of the remaining 6 SROs and one field agent—$300,671—while the police

department pays the remaining 60 percent—$439,916. The program costs are

supplemented by a $246,410 COPS in Schools grant. 

• The Fontana program's eight SROs are supported by a combination of police

department ($507,000), school district ($190,400), and Federal funds ($252,000).

Some of the positions are paid for entirely by the police department, others are

split between the police department and two school districts, and one is funded
196 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

entirely by a third school district. Throughout the program's history, several SRO

positions have been funded with COPS in Schools grants. The program has

secured private sector contributions of over $20,000 (see the case study at the

end of the chapter).

• Schools in some jurisdictions do not share in the program costs at all. The

Garner, North Carolina, Police Department has three SROs. Each year, the town

supports the full cost of one SRO's salary and equipment, with the State

reimbursing the town for approximately 75 percent of his salary and equipment

costs ($37,838) and the county reimbursing approximately 25 percent of his

salary and equipment ($18,919). The town of Garner pays the entire cost of the

other two SROs ($121,477). 

In several programs, because both parties recognize that the SROs will not be

working at the schools year-round, the school district covers their salaries only for

the months that school is in session. For example, in Schaumberg, Illinois, the

school district used to pay only three-quarters of the SROs' salaries because the

SROs return to their regular juvenile officer duties during the summer. 

The ostensible sharing of program costs between a law enforcement agency and a

school district may be misleading because the school district is reimbursing only

salaries, but the actual cost of the program to the department includes equipment

and training. In other cases, as in Delaware, the school district reimburses the

department the cost of an officer's base or entry-level salary but, because the

SROs are seasoned—and, therefore, higher-paid—officers, the department ends

up paying the balance. 

Some school districts pay part or all of the SROs' overtime. 

• In Terrebone Parish, because school sports have to pay for themselves through

fund raising, some of these funds are used to pay the SROs' overtime to

supervise these events. For non-sport related assignments, the school district

uses its activity fund to pay SROs $11 an hour overtime. 

• In Palm Beach County, Florida, if a school function or sports event charges an

admission fee, the school has to pay for the SROs' overtime.

In a few cases, jurisdictions have built a mechanism into their memorandums of

agreement or contracts for automatic modifications of each contributor's share of

program costs (see the box "The Scottsdale Police Department's Automatic Cost

Shifting"). In Marshall, Minnesota, as the COPS in Schools grant decreased each

year from 75 percent to 60 percent to 55 percent of the program's costs, the school

district's and city's share increased correspondingly from 8 to 14 percent for the

school district and from 17 to 30 percent for the city. 
SRO Program Guide 197

When not provided for in the initial memorandum of understanding or contract,

shifting costs is typically an arduous, drawn-out, and sometimes acrimonious

undertaking. For example, while for the most part ultimately successful, programs

in Stark County and Schaumburg experienced severe difficulties agreeing on the

proportion of program funding each involved entity would contribute (see the case

studies at the end of chapter 8, "Maintaining Program Funding"). 

How to Find the Money 

COPS in Schools grants have been the sole or partial funding source for more than

6,567 SROs. However, when the three-year grants end, the law enforcement

agency either has to pick up the cost of the program or ask local school districts or

government agencies to pay for a share, or a larger share, of the expense. In

addition, when many law enforcement agencies—and their participating school

districts—included in the study suffered severe budgets cutbacks in the early

2000s, they tried—often successfully—to find additional funds from their own

budgets, tap into nontraditional sources of funding, or shift some of the costs to

their partnering agencies and to local government. The discussion below,

summarized in the box "Finding Innovative Ways to Help Pay for the Program,"

identifies the creative ways these programs have been able to find money.

The 14 Scottsdale, Arizona, Police Department SROs provide services to two different

school districts. The department established an Intergovernmental Agreement with one

school district to cooperatively cover the costs for 10 SROs and another agreement with the

second school district to cooperatively cover the costs for 3 SROs. 

Both agreements include graduated payment plans that over time increase the school

districts' share of the SROs' salaries, based on an average officer's salary. For example, one

of the agreements began with the school district reimbursing 60 percent of an SRO's base

salary; by 2003, the district was expected to cover 70 percent of the cost; and the goal is for

the district to pay for 80 percent of the cost by 2006. 

The Scottsdale Police Department's Automatic Cost Shifting
198 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

See If the School District Can Contribute Additional Funding

Much of this chapter has already illustrated how law enforcement agencies have been

able to arrange for local school districts to provide funding or increase their funding for

the program. Below are two additional examples:

• Although the Marshall Police Department began funding the SRO program using a

COPS in Schools grant, Robert Yant, the chief of police, told the school district when

he applied for the grant that he expected it to pick up more of the cost when the

grant ran out. While the share of the cost the school district contributed during the

three-year grant period ($1,637, $5,384, and $6,511) was small, Yant "wanted school

buy-in and to get it used to contributing to the cost." Before the grant expired, he

asked the school district to increase its share of the cost to 50 percent after it ran

out. According to Yant, "the program would have been dropped [if the school district

had not agreed]. It's partly a philosophical issue—if the school district doesn't feel it's

important enough to pay, then it's not important enough for the police department to

fund it." The school district agreed to pay half the costs.

• The Stark County Sheriff's Office had been experiencing budget cutbacks since

2002, resulting in the layoff of 60 correctional officers and road deputies that year.

While they were all called back in 2003, only 40 returned. As a result, the sheriff told

the participating school districts that he would have to recall the SROs unless the

school districts agreed to pay for most of the officers' salaries. Four of the five school

districts came up with the funds (see the case study at the end of chapter 8,

"Maintaining Program Funding").

Finding Innovative Ways to Help Pay for the Program

Law Enforcement Agencies

• explore nontraditional Federal

sources of funding*

• cut back and transfer funds

from D.A.R.E. 

• secure business contributions

• apply for foundation grants 

• solicit funds from charities

and fraternal organizations

• host fundraisers

• find free or low-cost sources

of training (see chapter 5)

• certify an SRO as a trainer

(see chapter 5)

• train other agencies' SROs for

a fee

School Districts and Schools

• use athletic event fees

• increase fees for parking lot

passes or extracurricular

activities

• host fund raisers

• reallocate 1% from other

budget line items—e.g.,

technology, supplies, sports,

capital expenditures

• apply for foundation grants 

• solicit funds from charities

and fraternal organizations

Local Governments

• reallocate 1% from other

budget line items—e.g.,

recreation, highway

department, libraries, public

works

• merge two departments (e.g.,

public works and highways)

into one to save money

• cut back on hiring plans

• apply for foundation grants 

• solicit funds from charities

and fraternal organizations

* As explained in the text, programs have obtained money from the U.S. Department of Education's Safe and Drug-Free Schools

Program and the U.S. Department of Justice's Byrne Formula Grant Program and Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants. 
SRO Program Guide 199

Some school districts, after the local law enforcement agency pulled out its SROs

from the schools because of budget cutbacks, have on their own requested the

officers be returned—and found a way to pay for them. The superintendent of

schools in one community said, "When the grant ran out, we tried to go it on the

cheap—without an SRO—but in three weeks all heck broke loose. So we cut each

school line item budget by 1-2 percent—football and basketball, classroom supplies,

technology—to come up with the $30,000 to pay for the officer to come back." A

high school in King County found some of the money needed to retain its SRO by

adding a surcharge to the fees it charges for parking lot passes. The school district

executive director provided the additional money from its parking lot supervisor fund

since "the SRO does some lot supervision."

See If Local Government Can Provide (or Increase) Support

Some local governments have increased their funding for their programs—or 

provided funding for the first time. 

• Captain Mike Rogers of the West Orange Police Department asked the city

council for increased funding for the program, recognizing that the town had to cut

recreation and library expenses, as well as public works, to support increases to

the police department's budget. Despite these sacrifices, the council approved the

increase in funding. 

• All 30 of the Virginia Beach Police Department SRO positions started out as grantfunded positions. At the conclusion of the grants, the police chief and school

superintendent made a presentation to the city council to pick up the funding.

Because the program had become so popular, council members agreed to pay for

the entire program. 

Sometimes Adequately Funded Programs Seek Additional Money to Expand

Some programs have secured additional funding from other sources to increase their

number of SROs, not because of budget cutbacks. In Terrebone Parish, the sheriff's

department initially paid for the SROs. However, the sheriff eventually told the

superintendent of schools that he needed help financing the program if it was to expand, and

the superintendent requested additional money from the school board. The board

unanimously approved the funds. As a result, the school district pays half the salaries for five

SROs and the entire salaries for four SROs. 
200 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

Examine Possible Funding From Federal Government Sources

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office), part of

the U.S. Department of Justice, has provided three-year grants to over 3,000 law

enforcement agencies to cover entry-level salaries for SROs. The so-called COPS

in Schools grant program provides up to $125,000 per SRO. Agencies must commit

to continuing the grant-funded SROs for a fourth year without COPS Office funding.

Information about the grant program may be found at: www.cops.usdoj.gov.

A 2002 National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) survey

(available at Resourcer@aol.com or 888-31-NASRO) found that "Almost two-thirds

(65%) of SROs were unaware that U.S. Department of Education Safe and DrugFree Schools Program funds can be used to pay for SRO training . . . ." Under

Title IV of the Safe and Drug Free Schools Act formula grants (Public Law 107-

110), each school district receives a sum of money based on student enrollment

and other factors. The act expressly allows school districts to spend up to 40

percent of their Title IV money to train and hire school security personnel 

(see www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/progsum/sum_pg9.html).

Three programs in the present study have obtained Safe and Drug-Free Schools

grants for their SRO programs. 

• The Virginia Beach Police Department receives a $10,000 reimbursement from

the school district through its Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant to cover the time

SROs spend teaching either of two safety courses—Aggressors, Victims, and

Bystanders, or Options, Choices, and Consequences.

• The Maury County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Department covers some of its training

costs using school district Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant funds. 

• Several school districts in King County, Washington, use Title IV funds to

reimburse the Sheriff's Office for providing SROs to their schools (see the box

above, "Two Programs Have Established Cost Sharing Arrangements").

The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance

Program (Byrne Formula Grant Program), funded by the Bureau of Justice

Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, provides funding to States and units of

local government to support personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance,

and information systems to improve the criminal justice response to violent and

serious crimes. Maury County funded 75 percent of two SRO's salaries for three

years with Byrne grants. See www.ojp.usdoj.gov or call (800) 421-6770.
SRO Program Guide 201

The Tucson, Arizona, Police Department has made use of $1,802,757 in Juvenile

Accountability Incentive Block Grants from U.S. Department of Justice's Office

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to establish and maintain

accountability and prevention programs, and to provide overtime for SROs to

participate in activities that involve interacting with students after hours. See

www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org or call (800) 638-8736.

Be Creative in Seeking Funding Sources

Several programs have obtained funds from businesses, charities, and foundations,

and by hosting fund-raising events.

• A January 6, 2004, Lansing State Journal article, "Mason [Michigan] schools

regain resource officer," written by Trout Sally, reported that when a COPS in

School grant ran out in the middle of the 2003-2004 school year, city officials

agreed to pay $23,000 of the SRO's $35,000 cost if the school district paid

$12,000—about one-third the cost. Because the school district reported it did not

have the money, a former president of the Kiwanis Club of Mason initiated a

Kiwanis fundraiser to find the money so the officer could finish out the school

year. The club raised $4,500, mostly from local businesses, which was

supplemented by a United Way contribution of $3,500 and a contribution from the

American Legion. 

• After the Columbine tragedy, Jim Marshall, the SRO in Marshall, Minnesota,

asked his supervisor to host an active shooter course for him and the patrol

officers. Because paying for the course would have been too expensive, Marshall

suggested the supervisor talk with someone at the alternative school who, he

knew, had grant money for violence prevention in the schools. The supervisor

met with the person, who agreed to contribute $2,500 for a trainer to come to

Marshall to offer the course; the police department had to contribute only $500.

• The Maury County Sheriff's Department has raised funds through a nonprofit

entity the department created in 1999 called the Fraternal Order of Police Club.

The club hosted a rodeo to raise money for the SRO and Drug Abuse Resistance

Education (D.A.R.E.) programs to pay for training and to purchase educational

materials, pencils for students, and other materials the programs needed. 

• The Fontana Police Department developed its own in-house basic SRO training

course (see the case study at the end of chapter 5, "Training SROs"), arranged

for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to certify

it, and then offered the training to other law enforcement agencies, charging a

$175 registration fee per participating SRO. After deducting expenses, the

department made almost $2,000 on the class. It used the money to buy new

equipment for a program its SROs conduct in the elementary schools.
202 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

Some programs have been especially creative in providing their SROs with free

training. 

• In Palm Beach County, the school district's police department arranged for trainers

from other law enforcement agencies to teach its SROs classes on religious

terrorism and biometrics (thumb scans, retinal scanning) at no cost to the

department in exchange for the department's having provided their departments with

training in such areas as crisis response and by allowing their officers to attend

recertification courses along with the Palm Beach County SROs. 

• Sergeant Richard Davies, a former SRO in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on his own

initiative and expense took a course with Corbin & Associates to become certified as

an SRO trainer. Davies then developed a 40-hour training syllabus, which he taught

during the summer to officers who might apply for any SRO positions that might

open up the following school year. In the long run, this approach saved the agency

money by avoiding the registration fees and travel expenses involved in sending

SROs out of town to be trained by professional organizations.

* * *

The case studies below describe how the Fontana, California, and Saratoga County,

Florida, programs have been especially diligent and innovative in securing funding. 

• The Fontana program makes use of various cost-sharing arrangements with the

schools and has secured funding from multiple sources, including from the private

sector. 

• The Saratoga County program has obtained money from foundations and

community groups, by sponsoring its own fund-raising events, and from in-kind

contributions. 

Some Agencies Have Cut D.A.R.E. to Protect Their SRO Programs

A few law enforcement agencies in the study, when forced to make cuts, have put their Drug Abuse

Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officers back on patrol in order to retain their SROs in the schools. 

• When four officers left the Marshall Police Department (one went to the National Guard, two resigned, and

one retired), school administrators and police department commanders agreed to return the D.A.R.E

officer to patrol duty rather than reassign the SRO. Command staff did not want to lose the SRO because,

before he took up his position, patrol officers were constantly being called to the schools to handle

problems.

• After the 9/11 tragedy, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Police Department lost nearly 10 percent of its sworn

officers to the military. As a result, department divisions that lost officers sought to make up for their

reductions in personnel by asking the chief to transfer personnel from elsewhere in the department to their

divisions. In response, the police chief abandoned the D.A.R.E. program, transferring its officers to the

depleted divisions in order avoid having to cut back the SRO program. 

• To be able to continue its SRO program, the Lakewood, Colorado, Police Department, dropped its

D.A.R.E. program, using the funding to support its SROs.
SRO Program Guide 203

Case Study: Fontana, California, Police Department (151 sworn)

In addition to tapping multiple funding sources, the Fontana Police Department

arranges different funding formulas with different school districts.

The Program Developed Different Cost Sharing Arrangements 

A combination of police department, school district, and grant funds support eight

SROs. The police department funds some of the positions fully, while the costs of other

SROs are split between the department and two school districts. A third school district

provides all the funds for another SRO. Throughout most of the program's history, at

least one SRO position has been funded through COPS in Schools grants. The

department also signed memorandums of agreement with the school districts

guaranteeing the required fourth year of local funding for the federally funded

positions before submitting the grant applications. 

Because the department's jurisdiction is not contiguous with school district boundaries,

it offered to place SROs in all of the middle schools that children who live in the

department's jurisdiction might attend, proposing to split the funding of the officer's

salary with the school districts. The city (through the police department) offers to pay

the same percentage as the percentage of the school population that lives in the city of

Fontana. 

Program Funding Increased to Support Eight SROs

Starting with a single SRO in 1994, the police department has managed to obtain

additional funding to the point where by 2004 the program had eight SROs.

(1) The SRO program began in 1994 with a grant from the COPS Office for a 

single SRO—not, however, a COPS in Schools grant but a grant for 

increasing community policing in Fontana. Under the grant, the police 

department assigned an SRO to extend community policing into schools. In 

1997, the city assumed the costs of the program after the COPS Office grant 

expired. 

(2) In 2000, the city received funding from a COPS in Schools grant to fund two 

additional positions. The needed local matching funds for the grant 

program were shared by the Fontana Unified School District and the city of 

Fontana. In addition, the city and the school district signed a contract to 

share the cost of funding both positions fully for at least one additional year 

after the grant was over. As a result, these positions have been supported 

with city and school district funds since the grant expired in 2003. 

(3) In 2002, the police department received a second COPS in Schools grant

for a fourth SRO to work in a new middle school built in the city of Fontana 
204 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 7: Identifying Sources of Program Funding

but served by the Etiwanda School District. The police department provided 

the local match.

(4) An additional SRO was funded under an agreement with the Colton Unified 

School District to place an SRO in a middle school outside Fontana. The 

police department pays 55 percent of the cost of the officer, because that is 

the percentage of students in the school who live in the city, while the Colton 

School District pays the other 45 percent, representing the students who live 

in the unincorporated areas outside the city.

(5) The Fontana Unified School District Police Department fully funds a sixth 

full-time officer who is assigned to work in one of the middle schools.

(6) In 2002, the police department funded two more positions, bringing the 

total to eight full time SROs.

Private Funding Supports Several Program Initiatives

The department has secured and continues to seek funding from national and local

businesses for special SRO events and activities such as DRY2K (a multimedia

alcohol prevention program) and Dream Builders (a mentoring program designed to

link at-risk students with professionals in the community). In addition to benefiting from

the relatively small but still helpful financial support, program supervisors capitalize on

the donations in other ways.

• Program supervisors view these business contributions that support innovative SRO

activities as another way to increase the officers' motivation to develop creative

solutions to school problems. 

• Program supervisors use the recognition for the program provided by the corporate

awards to further bolster their case for the program's excellence. 

• In turn, the supervisors parlay the program's national reputation for innovation and

distinction into helping to maintain funding from the city and the school 

districts. 

The program uses corporate contributions to pay for the cost of programs, and for

materials related to programs, but not for SRO salaries. For example, about $15,000

has been donated over the years to duplicate and buy equipment for the DRY2K

program and train other agencies to implement the program. Major donors include

Microsoft, Toyota Motor Sports, and the Auto Club. Fontana SROs have taught the

program in all three high schools within the Fontana Unified School District.

Corporations also support the Dream Builders program. Local businesses

contribute about $5,000 per year to pay for field trips and other expenses (excluding

SRO salaries) related to the initiative. 
SRO Program Guide 205

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Office Program

The Sarasota County program's annual budget of more than $2,400,000 is split almost

equally between the sheriff's office and the school district. Nevertheless, despite

relatively guaranteed funding (see the Sarasota County case study at the end of

chapter 8, "Maintaining Program Funding"), the program leaves no stone unturned in

attempting to secure additional funding. 

Even though the school district contributes roughly half the program's costs, the

program still asked the school board to contribute an additional $10,000 in 2004 for

SRO registration fees for training and the associated out-of-state per diem and travel

expenses. In addition to providing the funds, the school board agreed to split the

$3,015 cost of maintaining a dog for the program. 

While each high school and middle school SRO in Sarasota County had an office in

his or her school equipped with a computer, elementary school SROs did not have

offices—and therefore did not have computers. As a result, the program asked for—

and received—a grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice,

the largest community foundation in Florida, for $11,000 to purchase seven

laptop computers with extended warrantees. 

Networking sometimes results in funding leads. While attending a meeting of the

Association of Communities, Sheriff William Balkwill was told by a community group

that it wanted to donate money for the benefit of kids in the county. When he returned

to his office, Balkwill passed on the information to Tim Carney, the captain in charge of

the SRO program. Carney contacted the group, which ended up making a $1,000

contribution to the program. As word about the donation spread, the Elks decided it

would raise money for the program; not to be outdone, the Moose held a dance to

raise money.

The sheriff's office itself has held fundraising events to raise money for the program.

When he was an SRO, Captain Tim Carney held several golf tournaments, each of

which raised about $5,000 for the Youth Services Division, which houses the SRO and

D.A.R.E. programs (elementary school SROs are dually trained as D.A.R.E. officers).

In 2003, as the division commander, Carney organized a golf tournament that

raised $13,000, which he used to pay the SROs' travel expenses to attend a

NASRO training in Orlando, Florida. 

The program has secured in-kind space from the school district worth tens of

thousands of dollars. The superintendent of schools and sheriff decided together to

house the SRO program in the building owned by the school district and used for its

headquarters. Because space is tight in the sheriff's office building, the department

would have had to rent space and furniture to house the program. However, the

school district donated space to the program for free, including a large reception area

and two offices. 
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SRO Program Guide 209

This chapter discusses how programs have successfully convinced law

enforcement agencies, school districts, and elected and appointed municipal

and county officials to provide funding. The chapter concludes with four case

studies of programs that have been especially innovative, hard working, or successful

in maintaining funding.

How to Motivate Law Enforcement Agencies to Maintain Funding

Police departments and sheriff's agencies report they provide funding for SROs

because the program:

(1) reduces the workload of patrol officers or road deputies;

(2) improves the department's image and the image of its officers among 

juveniles;

(3) creates and maintains improved relationships with the schools; and

(4) improves and maintains the department's reputation in the community.

Reduce the Burden on Patrol Officers or Road Deputies

SRO programs reduce the burden on their patrol officers: 

(1) by making it unnecessary for principals and assistant principals to call 911 

or the law enforcement agency's nonemergency number to handle problems 

in the schools and 

(2) by preventing problems in the schools that otherwise would have required a 

police response.

Reduce the Number of Time-Consuming 911 and Nonemergency Calls From the

Schools

Before they began their SRO programs, many police and sheriff's departments

contacted for the study reported that they had had to send patrol officers or road

deputies to schools to handle problems several times a week or even several times a

day, sometimes tying up the officers or deputies for hours at a time. As a result, law

enforcement administrators felt, or subsequently discovered, that placing officers in

the schools as SROs would—and did—reduce and even eliminate 911 and other

calls for service for regular patrol officers. The drastic reduction or complete

elimination of these calls from schools is a major reason some departments in the

study are willing to help pay for their programs. 

• The chief of the Garner, North Carolina, Police Department reported that the number

one reason he fought so hard for the SRO position was that road officers "were

already having to spend a number of hours a week investigating crimes at the

school; it only made sense to position an officer at the school full time." 

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding
210 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

• According to Sergeant Paul Marchand, the program supervisor in Salem, New

Hampshire, "We pay for the program because, by assigning officers to the

schools, we free up manpower on the street. Before we had SROs, we were

constantly sending patrol officers to the schools. It makes sense from a

deployment point of view to have officers in the schools rather than send over

patrol officers whenever there is a problem. The high school has 2,300 kids and

200 staff; it's a small town." 

• Based on an analysis of 911 calls in 1999 before the program began and again in

2001 after the SROs were in the schools, the Stark County Sheriff's Office in Ohio

documented that that road deputies were spared having to respond to

approximately 280 calls in 2001 because SROs handled them (see the discussion

on "Empirical Evidence" below for additional information about these data). 

• The assistant chief of a police department reported that, at a meeting on

department budget cuts that he was going to be attending, he was not going to

even raise the idea of cutting the SRO program. "While some department

personnel feel the program takes too many officers away from patrol duties," he

observed, "they don't realize the calls SROs take and prevent. SROs deal with

problems which would otherwise go to 911." 

The program may benefit other bureaus in the agency. West Orange, New Jersey,

Police Department administrators reported that funding three additional SROs to

work full time at the middle and high schools reduced the juvenile bureau's

workload. SROs now initially respond to many incidents that detectives previously

handled. As a result, the bureau's officers have more time available to respond to

other juvenile problems. Some SROs are able to pass on to the detective bureau or

patrol division valuable information about crimes in the community that students—

and even staff—with whom the SROs have a good rapport are willing to report.

Prevent Crimes That Would Have Required a Police Response

In addition to freeing up patrol officers from responding to 911 calls from the

schools, Salem, New Hampshire, Police Chief Paul Donovan expected the SROs

to be proactive and prevent problems. Indeed, many agencies in the study have

concluded that, because SROs prevent trouble that would have ended up

resulting in a 911 or nonemergency call, the program reduces the burden on

patrol officers even more. 

SROs prevent problems that might otherwise result in 911 or nonemergency calls

in three ways. 
SRO Program Guide 211

• Students come to realize that, with an SRO stationed in the school, they are

likely to be arrested if they commit a crime because an officer is there to

witness it—or because faculty or other students are quick to report the behavior

to the SRO without the need to call the police department or sheriff's office (an

important element of effective community policing—involving the community in

crime prevention). 

• SROs report over and over again that "good kids"—and even some

troublemakers—will tell the officers when they feel a crime is going to happen so

it can be prevented because they feel a sense of duty to protect their schools

or for their own personal safety they do not want criminal behavior

occurring in their schools. Former high school principal Paul Houlihan in Palm

Beach County said, "I can't count the number of times in the past that this kind of

prevention work with student informants has prevented more serious problems

from breaking out on campus." 

• The improved communication that an SRO program creates between the

law enforcement agency and school district results in "extracurricular"

sharing of information that helps to prevent crime. An SRO in West Orange

said, "The transfer of intelligence between the schools and the [juvenile] bureau

has allowed the department to respond proactively to potential youth-related

problems. If there has been a fight between students over the weekend and the

bureau believes the dispute may carry over to school on Monday, the SRO

reports this to school administrators even before classes begin so they can take

steps to prevent anything from developing."

Improve the Image of the Police Among Juveniles

Many law enforcement administrators contacted for the study report that one of

their most important goals in putting SROs in the schools is to improve juveniles'

attitudes and behavior toward police officers (e.g., in terms of reporting crime).

Most of these police administrators report that their programs accomplished this

goal. Chief Paul Donovan reported that "I have walked through school hallways

with the SRO, and kids come up to me asking to talk about problems—I was

amazed kids would do that; it showed a lot of respect." 

Create and Maintain Improved Police-School Relationships 

A number of police and sheriff's departments support SROs in part because they

value the improved relationships that typically result between the agency and

the school district. For example, the Salem police chief, captain, and program

supervisor all report that the program changed what was an adversarial relationship

between the two entities into a collaborative one. According to Chief Donovan:
212 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

I can pick up the phone and talk right away to the superintendent [of 

schools]. There's a trust because they know us, so they are much more 

comfortable bringing the department into the schools. They also bring us 

problems they might not have shared with us in the past. Principals and the

superintendent now call the captain about potential issues that could come 

up, such as problems with a teacher: “Here's what we've got; what should 

our next steps be?” Before the SRO program began, the schools would 

have handled the problem on their own and maybe ruined a chance to do a

decent investigation. When the superintendent gets calls from elementary 

school principals on these types of issues, he now tells them to call us. If 

we didn't have SROs, the school department would not have invited the 

captain to serve on the Best Schools Initiative for the middle school with 

teachers, administrators, and parents, to develop goals for the schools.

Maintain or Improve the Agency's Reputation

Finally, personnel in several departments testified that the program has improved

the agencies' image in three different respects.

Provide Positive Publicity for the Chief or Sheriff

Although no sheriff made this observation, other agency personnel said that the

program enhanced their sheriff's bid for reelection. According to a member of

one sheriff's office, "There are a large number of school employees who vote in the

county." Another member of the agency reported that the sheriff benefits from the

national attention the program gets as an exemplary program. 

Avoid Courting Public Criticism If the Program Is Cancelled

A number of program personnel reported that the public would hold it against

any chief or sheriff who stopped supporting the program. When one police

department's COPS in Schools grant ran out, the department absorbed the cost.

When later in the year the city manager ordered a five percent cut in every

department, the chief decided to axe the crime prevention unit completely. Why did

he keep the SRO program? According to a staff member, "He took tremendous flak

for cutting the prevention unit; taking cops out of the schools would have resulted in

an even worse backlash from the community."

Accommodate the Wishes of Local Government

Some agencies continue to fund the program because local government officials

want to see it maintained. For example, just as some sheriffs may feel that

terminating the program is politically dangerous because voters could object, some

police chiefs find dropping the program risky because the town officials who
SRO Program Guide 213

appoint them want to keep it going. When one police department's COPS in Schools

grants expired, the chief picked up the entire cost of the program. According to a

member of the department, one reason the chief was willing to foot the bill was

because "it helps a lot that the mayor supports the program—he provides the

department's money. Since the mayor appoints the chief, the chief accepts the

elected official's request." 

How to Motivate the Schools to Contribute (More) Funding

As the previous chapter documents, many programs have been supported partially

and, in some cases, substantially with school district funding. Indeed, support from

school administrators has been crucial to keeping some programs afloat:

• According to Al Weidner, budget director for the Sarasota County School Board, "I

have never turned down funding for the program . . . . because schools say they

don't know how they would function without it. I want to make sure we could not be

spending the money on something else and getting a better return on our

investment, but principals go out of their way to single out the program to me."

Weidner adds that if the budget director gets negative comments from the schools

on a program, "I will highlight that to the assistant superintendent. Conversely, I

highlight programs that the schools support."

• When the Chula Vista, California, Elementary School District's budget was in dire

straights and the budget committee considered making cuts in the SRO program to

save money, the principals expressed strong opposition to the idea, and cuts were

avoided.

• Albuquerque Chief Public Safety Officer, Nicholas Bakas, reported that, when the

SRO program was in jeopardy because the city was $50 million in the hole, parents

and school administrators telephoned him, the mayor, and the media to protest the

planned cut—but the school administrators were the most vocal—'you can't take

these guys away from us!' "

• When county commissioners in Maury County, Tennessee, tried to reduce the

number of SRO positions, board of education members, school administrators, and

teachers joined parents and the sheriff at the budget meetings to support continued

funding of the program. The commissioners kept all the SROs. 

• Jim Aquilo, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools (and a former

principal for 12 years) for Plain Township School District in Stark County, said that

"when the sheriff pulled out the SROs due to funding cuts, the schools went without

the SRO for three weeks. The principals had a revolt because they appreciated the

SRO's preventive role even more [than the feeling of security the officers created],

including handling calls from parents for help. As a result, the superintendent [hired
214 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

by the Plain Township Board of Education and County Superintendent] felt the

SRO's presence was vital to the school's mission and made the decision to pay for

the SRO."

Even school board members who already support the program can feel the

pressure.

• A school board member in one jurisdiction said that, when one particular SRO

retired, "people [i.e., school administrators] were more upset at losing him than they

are at losing a teacher. School administrators have told me how much they benefit

from the SROs' presence [in the schools] and work with the kids." 

• Robyn Marinelli, Sarasota County School Board supervisor of student services, said

that, although she is one of the program's major supporters in the school district,

the crucial support is from the grass roots. "Principals would be extremely upset if

the program was cut—they would complain at principals' meetings and by e-mailing

the superintendent and board members." 

Programs can gain school administration support, however, only if they provide a

good quality "product"—talented and dedicated SROs. James Bailey, Maury

County Mayor, said that the key to his program's success (in addition to strong

leadership at the sheriff's department) is "recruitment of quality officers who are

leaders and who are genuinely interested in doing a good job." This, of course, is why

carefully screening and training the SROs—topics addressed in chapters 3 and 5—is

so important. It also means that programs need to evaluate their effectiveness to

ensure that they are meeting the schools' needs.

If the program does a good job, most school administrators and teachers gain three

significant benefits from SROs that sometimes the program needs to remind

school personnel they are gaining in order to motivate them to continue to

support program funding:

• increased safety in the schools,

• the feeling of increased safety, and

• improved response time.

Provide Increased Safety in the Schools

SROs improve safety in the schools by handling violence and preventing violence. 

Handle Violence

SROs take care of violent incidents in the schools by handling situations involving

fights, assaults, and weapons, and by helping to develop the schools' crisis response

plans.
SRO Program Guide 215

Take care of fights, assaults, and weapons. Most school district administrators

support the program because they believe it improves safety in the schools—and

protecting students is part of their job.

• Four of the five school districts in Stark County, Ohio, that took on at least partial

funding for their SROs after the sheriff said he could no longer pay the entire cost

said they did so primarily to maintain safety in the schools and because students,

parents, and teachers all feel safer with a deputy in the schools. 

• When a high school principal in another jurisdiction was asked what he might tell

other school administrators about the SRO program, he simply stated, "If you have

the opportunity to have an SRO at your school, 'how stupid of you to say no.' It is

an awesome responsibility to be a principal and in charge of the safety of students

today. We are very vulnerable."

Several school administrators specifically highlighted how SROs serve to keep

principals and assistant principals, and even teachers, out of harm's way (see

the box, "Administrators Appreciate That SROs Protect Them From Physical

Encounters"). In particular, several assistant principals reported they had discovered

that irate parents show more respect to SROs than to administrators. Some

administrators call in the SRO to mediate disputes between a furious parent and an

assistant principal.

• A high school assistant principal, reported that "when parents get belligerent—and

they can get very nasty—I ask the SRO to sit in to 'observe,' and that usually calms

them down." 

• On a day when the SRO at a Sarasota County middle school was at a training, the

principal called Robyn Marinelli, supervisor of student services, to report that an

angry parent who had walked into the school had just gotten into a fight with girls

who were holding her daughter hostage. Marinelli called Tim Carney, the captain in

charge of the program, who, with a supervisor and two SROs, rushed over to the

school, evacuated the front office, and locked down the building. After the SROs

had issued a no-trespass order to the parent, she left peaceably. 

Administrators Appreciate That SROs Protect Them From Physical Encounters

• Austin Garofalo, a former Salem, New Hampshire, high school assistant principal, observed that "the

SRO is extremely important for me to be able to do my job because I know I have the back-up—

someone who is skilled in dealing with belligerence and use of force that I am not trained to do and

do not want to do." 

• In Louisiana, Terrebonne Parish School Board member L.P. Bordelon confirmed that "I was a school

principal and I got into some scrapes breaking up fights, and I don't like to fight, so the SROs'

presence is important [to making it unnecessary for administrators to have to break up fights]." 

• Cynthia Celander, a Marshall, Minnesota, high school assistant principal, says that she has the SRO

sit in with her when she has to discipline a student and feels the situation may potentially escalate.
216 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

Help develop crisis response plans. Many SROs contribute to their schools' safety

by developing, or participating in the preparation of, their schools' crises

management plans. 

• An SRO in Stark County sits on the school board's security committee and has

assessed the physical safety of each building. He has helped devise crisis plans

to implement during various types of emergency situations; as a result, according

to a school official, the SRO had proven immensely helpful and resourceful during

a meningitis scare during which he coordinated communication and contact

among public health experts, parents, students, and school district personnel.

• Dan Genest, the Salem middle school SRO, reported that he learned about

conducting school safety surveys at an advanced National Association of School

Resource Officer (NASRO) training. Based on what he learned, over the summer

he conducted a survey of every room in his school documenting safety hazards

such as windows that did not lock, rooms that were not clearly marked with a

number, and lack of coverings on door windows that are needed if there is a

lockdown. He reported his findings to school administrators who fixed some of the

deficiencies, including installing shades on all door windows. He also learned how

to run a lockdown at a school. As a result, he identified deficiencies in his

school's lockdown procedures—for example, the procedure did not address what

to do if there were students in the gym or cafeteria. Again, he brought the

information to the assistant principal, who changed the school's procedures.

Prevent Violence from Occurring 

School administrators, as well SROs, agree that SROs are a valuable presence

because they routinely prevent crime and violence from happening. This is

one of the main reasons so many administrators in the study report that they

support the program (see the box "School Administrators Cite the SROs' Ability to

Prevent Crime and Violence as a Major Reason for Supporting the Program").

Similarly, the mere presence of police officers and deputies in the schools probably

prevents some crime. L.P. Bordelon, the Terrebonne Parish School Board vice

president in Louisiana, said that: 

Most school board members feel we are getting our money's worth because

the SROs . . . . are a great deterrent. Kids do stupid things because of peer

pressure, a dare, to take risks, etc. Seeing a uniformed police officer in the

school deters them. So it's preventive discipline in the best sense of the word. 
SRO Program Guide 217

Local school administrators in Tucson tell school district officials that the mere

presence of the cruiser on patrol or parked outside a middle or elementary school

helps deter high school students from trespassing on school grounds and child

molesters from approaching. 

Most principals and assistant principals contacted for the study agree that SROs

also prevent crime and violence by counseling and mentoring kids so that

they do not get into trouble. According to L.P. Bordelon, "SROs do a lot of

counseling that keeps kids straight." 

Administrators Appreciate That SROs Protect Them From Physical Encounters

According to Sergeant Rochelle Thompson, supervisor of the Oklahoma County

Sheriff's Office SRO program, after the COPS in Schools grant ended in January

2004 and Crooked Oak, one of five participating school districts, could not find the

money to support its SRO, the department pulled the SRO out of the school. 

But, in February, Shannon Goodsell, the new superintendent of schools, called

me to ask to reinstate the SRO—and said he would find the money—because

there were guns being brought into the schools, gangs reappearing, and an

administrator had been attacked in the month since the SRO had left. According

to Goodsell, when the grant ran out, we tried to do it on the cheap—without an

SRO—but in three weeks all heck broke loose. So we cut each school line item

budget by 1-2 percent—football and basketball, classroom supplies,

technology—to come up with the $30,000 to pay for the officer to come back.

As a new administrator, he had not been aware that it was the SRO program

that had "kept the lid" on the schools. 

A school district administrator in another State tells a similar story: 

The school district evaluated the program—administrators, counselors, and

faculty discussed whether we needed it to help kids. At the high school, the

SRO headed off a lot of the drinking that we had a problem with because of

what he learned—for example, kids would warn him that a keg party was going

to take place. We have a lot of kids involved in DWI—several have been

killed—so drinking was a concern to all of us and we felt he was good in helping

with that. That's what tipped the scale in favor of paying for him. 
218 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

Provide the Feeling of Increased Safety

To many high ranking school administrators, almost as important as providing safety

in the schools is providing the feeling of safety. According to one superintendent of

schools, "Kids need to feel safe, and the SRO's presence makes a difference in their

feeling of safety. He sends a message about creating a safe environment." Many

school administrators support continued program funding in large measure or in part

because SROs have this effect.

• Paul Houlihan, a former high school principal in Palm Beach County who in the

past served on budget review committees, consistently objected to any cuts in the

SRO budget. Houlihan explained that "because the media often focuses on lack of

safety, there is a need to provide parents with a sense of safety. Students,"

according to Houlihan, "need to feel that they are in a safe environment, and

parents need to feel that they are sending their children to a safe school. There

needs to be the appearance, as well as the reality, of a safe campus environment." 

• Marshall school board member Kathy Reiber reported that "We did surveys of

students, and safety is one of their top concerns. So the district needs to make kids

feel safe—and the program is a small price to pay to help do that."

Improve Response Time

Over and over, administrators reported that they benefited tremendously by the quick

response they got from their SROs in crises in comparison with how long it had taken

them in the past to get an officer or deputy on scene by calling 911. The quick

response relieves administrators from having to hold and pacify an often agitated,

accused student for a long period of time. 

• Cynthia Celander, a Marshall high school assistant principal, reported that "if I

called 911 every time a violent incident occurred, I'd have to wait for a patrol officer

to arrive. Instead, Jim [Marshall, the SRO] handles it immediately." 

• Paul Houlihan said, "On more than one occasion in the past, it would take much

too long for the sheriff's department to respond to school calls for assistance. This

is not longer a problem for schools when the SROs are already there." 

Several school administrators said they supported continued program funding

primarily for this reason.

• When the Chula Vista budget committee considered making cuts in the SRO

program to save money, the principals opposed the cutback because their major

concern was preventing disruption and having an immediate capacity to deal with it

when it occurred.
SRO Program Guide 219

• A town council member in one jurisdiction said that the town has accepted the

SRO program as part of the police department's budget because the high school

principal and chief of police convincingly demonstrated to council members that

an officer assigned to the school full time reduces the response time for incidents.

To gain support from these administrators for continued program funding, programs

must do their utmost to make sure that SROs are in fact—to the extent

possible—immediately available to the schools. As a result, many programs are

careful not to pull their SROs out of the schools for special assignments or inservice training except when schools are not in session (see chapter 5, "Training

SROs"). Otherwise, Chief James Kelly of the Palm Beach County School District

Police Department, observes, "administrators say, 'they're never here anyway when

we need them, so what's the big deal?' "

When Possible, Accommodate Schools—Go the Extra Mile

Programs can help ensure their survival if SROs go out of their way to make

themselves useful to school administrators and teachers. Sometimes the extra

effort is trivial—but still appreciated; at other times, it can involve a significant

investment of time, effort, and even frustration—but the payoff can be strong

lobbying for the program by school officials.

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office SROs, program supervisors, and even the sheriff

have gone out of their way to accommodate the schools. The case study at the end

of the chapter documents their efforts. The result has been tremendous support for

the program among school district officials, including providing the program with

free space in the school district's headquarters—a significant financial savings to

an agency with an acute space shortage.
220 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

SRO Programs Provide Other Benefits to Schools

Some school board members, school administrators, and teachers support the SRO program

at least in part because of three other benefits they feel SROs provide.

Help Reduce Truancy

Some school districts were initially interested in having SROs in the schools because

administrators needed to reduce truancy levels. 

• During the process of planning and setting goals for the SRO program, school

administrators from all but one of the five Stark County school districts participating in the

program identified truancy as a major area of concern because their graduation and

promotion rates had fallen well below the State's mandated levels. The administrators

hoped that, with the consistent follow-up that the presence of an SRO would facilitate,

chronic truants would grow tired of being "hassled" and begin to attend classes more

regularly. Graduation rates began to improve markedly for all five districts (see the

discussion under "Empirical Evidence of Effectiveness" in the text). 

• Nicholas Bakas, the Albuquerque Mayor's Chief Public Safety Officer, reported that "the

possibility of cutting the program is always raised at budget time. But [in addition to its other

benefits] the program is also seen as having the benefit of reducing truancy, which also

reduces crime." 

Reduce Liability and Lawsuits

Some school board members and school district administrators in the study appreciate that

the program reduces their legal liability. A superintendent of schools observed that

"assistant principals are always concerned about liability—that's why the windows on their

doors are never covered. We have kids who are much bigger than deans, and we have

female students being dealt with by male deans. So there is concern about liability, including

the use of force." 

Save Time

Several administrators and teachers reported that SROs save them significant time and

stress. 

• Kathy Reiber, a school board member in Marshall (and a former classroom teacher),

reported, "We put in more money because . . . . it saves staff—faculty and administrators—

considerable time. They have told me that, when there is an incident, because the SRO is

there and knows the requirements and procedures for an investigation, it takes the weight

off their shoulders." 

• A Maury County commissioner reported that "Having officers to worry about safety and

discipline reduces the burden on teachers and allows them to spend more time teaching." 
SRO Program Guide 221

Other programs, too, go out of their way to be helpful to school administrators and

teachers.

• One SRO registers student and faculty cars so that, if there is a problem with a

vehicle, administrators can go to him to find out whose car it is. When an

assistant principal saw a shotgun in a car in the school parking lot, he asked the

SRO to investigate. Using his registry, the SRO was able to learn in a matter of

minutes that the student and his father had gone hunting and had forgotten to

remove the gun.

• Some SROs perform background checks for administrators on faculty and other

school employees—for example, when a staff member is suspected of stealing.

The police or sheriff's department either will not provide the service or cannot do

so as quickly as the school district wants. 

• The Palm Beach County program has trained 6,000 school staff in de-escalation

and physical restraint techniques for which the faculty express considerable

gratitude (see the box "Teaching School Personnel 'Verbal Judo' and Restraint

Techniques").
222 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

Teaching School Personnel 'Verbal Judo' and Restraint Techniques

In 1992, Palm Beach County School District SROs saw that administrators were asking

them to arrest students who got into trouble because of the principals' and assistant

principals' poor verbal skills. As a result, James Kelly, the school district police

department chief, arranged to train all school administrators in verbal skills and 

de-escalation strategies. Later, in 1994, he expanded the training to include physical

restraint techniques adapted for educators working with children (that is, not through pain

compliance), so they could avoid physical confrontations and serve as back-up to the

SROs. 

Eventually, Kelly incorporated the training as part of a four-day course for selected school

personnel who are members of each school's crisis team. The department's own training

unit offers the training. As of late 2004, the unit had trained 6,000 school staff in the

techniques along with explanations of State statutes and school policy on the use of

physical force. Teachers receive continuing education credits for attending the course. 

According to Kathleen Weigel, a high school principal, "The department has trained my

whole faculty in verbal judo, and 30 of my faculty are trained to do take-downs through

team training. And Jim [Kelly] recertifies us every year. We don't have issues with fights

because the staff and SROs are trained in verbal judo to de-escalate situations—with

2,200 students, we have about only one fight a month." 

As the selected course evaluations below suggest, teachers report that the training has

enabled them to feel more confident in front of students and has resulted in students

responding positively to the teachers' "command presence." 

Have you utilized any of the verbal/non-hands on techniques to de-escalate potentially

aggressive students? 

• A student was angry because I asked him to open his book. I sensed he was very

angry, and I practiced active listening. I told him I saw he was angry, and he left the

room.

• Yes, every day. I have several EH [emotionally handicapped] students in my classroom.

On one occasion, a student became frustrated and threw his paper on the floor and

tipped over a chair. I used a soft but firm voice and calmed him down. My training

helped de-escalate the situation.

Have you utilized any of the self-defense procedures or control procedures?

• There was a time when 2 students were fighting in a classroom, and I used a block

procedure to prevent being hit in the stomach.

• I have used the Finger Peel Technique to remove hands from hair pulling.

• I helped another trained teacher take a fifth grade uncooperative student to the office.

We used the elbow hold.
SRO Program Guide 223

How to Motivate Public Officials

Typically, local elected and appointed officials, including town and city council

members, mayors, and town managers, as well as school committee or school

board members, decide on the funding for the local law enforcement agency and

school system. As such, they are in the best position to make sure the program

continues—or to drop it. 

When public officials support an SRO program, it is generally because: 

• they want to ensure that students are safe in their schools; 

• they risk the public's ire if they fail to support the program; or 

• school administrators have lobbied for its retention.

Stress the Program's Contribution to Safety in the Schools

Public officials with responsibility for schools are concerned about ensuring safety

for students and faculty. This concern can take two forms:

• recognition that they are responsible for keeping kids safe—it is part of their job—

and 

• wanting to avoid being blamed if a tragedy occurs. 

Many public officials contacted for the study support continued funding for their

SRO programs because, as West Orange, New Jersey, councilman John Skarbnik

said, "They give additional security for the schools." According to Albuquerque's

Chief Public Safety Officer Nicholas Bakas, he and the mayor decided to continue

to fund the SRO program after the COPS in Schools grants ran out. "In light of the

need to provide homeland security, it's the mayor's responsibility to be in a position

to protect the 100,000 students in the city and have a liaison in the schools." 

According to program participants in many jurisdictions, some school committee

members also continue to fund the program because, as one program supervisor

said, "the school board supports the program in part because, if there were a

tragedy at a school, it would become a political disaster if it had cut or killed the

program." Kathy Reiber, school board member in Marshall, acknowledged that "I

would be concerned about cutting the program and then a critical incident occurs

and constituents say, 'Why did you cut the SRO?' " 

Generate or Channel Public Support for the Program

These same public officials are, of course, responsive to their constituents,

especially parents. In several communities, the potential for objections by angry

parents if the officials cut back the SRO program appears to help motivate
224 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

them to continue to provide funding. For example, one principal said, "Parents

would object if we lost our cops—I could make two calls [to influential members of

the community] and have 100 parents vocally irate after telling the two [community

members] whom else to call [to generate a protest]." The threat—and

effectiveness—of complaints from parents is not just theoretical.

• Because the Tucson city council can vote on individual line items in the city's

budget, it could drop the SRO program. However, a member of the city council

said that "constituents call me if an SRO is going to get moved—one had surgery

and, when a high school liaison officer filled in for him, the world fell apart—the

principal called, residents called—the PTA organized it. They were concerned that

the SRO's leaving [was not temporary but] would be a long-term loss." 

• Albuquerque Chief Public Safety Officer Nicholas Bakas reported that when he

and the new mayor came into office in 2001, "the city was $50 million in the hole.

So the SRO program was on the chopping block. But . . . . parents and school

administrators telephoned me, the mayor, and the media to protest the planned

cut. So we kept the program—but the mayor also recognized that school safety

was his responsibility."

• Maury County Mayor James Bailey said that in 2003, when the county

commission tried to reduce the number of SRO positions in the elementary

schools, the county "rose up in arms." School administrators, teachers—and

parents—attended the budget meetings to support continued funding. 

Officials, of course, can also be influenced by constituent praise for programs.

West Orange councilman John Skarbnik reported, "I've heard positive things about

the SROs from parents—the issue comes up when there are problems [in the

schools] and the SROs are there [to handle them]." As described in the box

"Generating Public Support for the Program," programs can take the initiative to

help ensure that positive assessments of the program reach the ears of

public officials.
SRO Program Guide 225

Generating Public Support for the Program

Many programs do not leave it to chance to get the word to officials that their SROs are doing

important work in the schools.

• Elementary school principal Christopher Renouf in Sarasota County said, "Safe and orderly

schools is a hot topic with parents. Last night at a monthly parent advisory council meeting,

members raised the issue. The SRO volunteered to stay and attend the meeting on his

own time." [emphasis added]

• The Maury County program believes that its efforts to generate public support paid off when

a coalition consisting of parents, school administrators, and the sheriff convinced

the county commissioners not to reduce the number of SROs. The program's activities

designed to create community support include:

— attending every community event—according to Captain Nathan Johns, it helps when 

a community member can say, "You work in my son's school, and now you are 

directing traffic during the county fair!" 

— marketing the program through news media and presentations to clubs;

— inviting parents to schools for extracurricular activities, because the SROs are 

present and parents can see the interactions between the deputies and their children 

and can ask the SROs questions; and

— providing monthly activity reports to the county commission—one commissioner 

reported that all the commissioners appreciate the sheriff's concerted efforts to keep 

them informed of program activities.

• The Fontana program actively seeks recognition for its program and then publicizes the

approval and awards it receives to those who hold its purse strings. 

— With funding from Microsoft, the program developed and implemented a high school 

program called DRY2K designed to reduce underage drinking and driving. Based on 

part on the program's success, the department then applied for and received awards 

from the California League of Cities and the International Association of Chiefs of 

Police. The department highlighted the awards in meetings with the city council, 

school board, and community organizations.

— The program received a Model School Resource Officer Agency Award from the 

National Association of School Resource Officers. The program arranged for a local 

trophy company to produce replicas of the award plaque and gave copies to every 

city council member and school district administrator.
226 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

What Motivates Everybody

There are two strategies that can motivate every type of funding source to continue

to provide money for an SRO program: 

(1) scientific evidence (especially when provided by independent evaluators) 

that the program is achieving its goals (or at least those goals that the

people who hold the purse strings care about); and 

(2) documentation that SROs are productive and doing what they are supposed 

to be doing.

Develop Empirical Evidence of Program Effectiveness3 

Administrators of any program are often understandably reluctant to evaluate their

efforts because they lack time or expertise, or have concerns about violating

confidentiality. Most of all, they may be apprehensive that the evaluation results will

not show that they are doing a good job. However, SRO programs may need the

results of an evaluation to provide compelling evidence to funding sources of

the need to continue the program. Program staff may also need the results to

convince their own agency heads to continue to provide or request funding for the

program.

Program supervisors contacted for the study usually evaluate their programs in two

ways:

(1) look at statistical data to see if the program has been responsible for any 

improvements; and

(2) conduct surveys to find out if program "consumers" are using and benefiting 

from the program.

Examine Statistical Data

As shown in the box "Sample Statistical Data Program Supervisors Can Consider

Examining to Evaluate the Program," program supervisors can study a range of data

to document program effectiveness. In general, supervisors should examine data that

will show the program is achieving what school administrators, school board

members, local town officials, as well as the police chief or sheriff, want the program

to be doing. Of course, the data need to be available or easily generated, and

programs need to have access to them.

3 Program evaluation is also essential to find out whether the program needs improvement and, if so, what specific

changes are needed. Chapter 6, "Supervising SROs," addresses this component of program evaluation. Of course,

many program evaluations address both goals—assess effectiveness and identify the need for improvement.
SRO Program Guide 227

The discussion below gives examples of how programs have used specific data to

assess whether their goals were being achieved.

Crime rates. Perhaps the most common statistic that school boards and community

members contacted for the study want to see decline is the crime rate in schools. 

• In Terrebonne Parish, the most important original purpose for establishing the SRO

program was to reduce the number of fights in the schools. Data suggest that this

goal was achieved at South Terrebonne High School at least in part because of the

SRO program. The number of suspensions for fighting at the school declined from

72 to 48 and then to 32 for two school years starting with the year the program

began and then in the following school years remained relatively constant at about

one-third the original rate (24 to 29 suspensions per year).

• From the 1991-92 school year to the 1994-95 school year (the year the SRO

program began), the number of reported incidents at a junior high school in another

jurisdiction increased from 8 to 19, and 19 to 78. The number remained relatively

constant for the next three school years and then declined significantly during the

1998-1999 school year to 34 incidents, with a further drop to 22 incidents during the

2000-2001 school year (see appendix A). The increase during the SRO's initial

years may be attributable to the officer's recording incidents that previously were

not reported to the police department; the decline beginning with the 1998-1999

school year may reflect a decrease in student misconduct due to the SRO's

consistent presence and intervention.

Sample Statistical Data Supervisors Can Consider Examining

to Evaluate the Program

Number of students SRO advised

Number of students SRO taught

Police calls for service

Arrests and citations

Weapons and drugs seized

Number and types of safety or disorder problems solved

Crime incidents in school by type of incident (e.g., fights, bullying)

Crime incidents in vicinity of school

Noncriminal disorder incidents in school

Noncriminal disorder incidents in vicinity of school

Victimization in school and in vicinity of school

Truancy rates

Suspensions (in-school and out-of-school) and expulsions

Student tardiness

Student levels of fear

Student satisfaction with the SRO
228 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

• The Delaware Department of Education commissioned an evaluation of the State

Police SRO program in 1998 that compared the number of incidents, number of

students involved in incidents, and number of incidents resulting in police charges

in schools with and without SROs in 1994-95 (before any SROs had been placed

in the schools) and in 1997-98. The evaluation found that schools that never had

an SRO had a statistically significant increase in the number of police charges in

1997-98 compared with 1994-95, while there was no significant increase in

schools with SROs. Despite limitations of the evaluation, the Department of

Education was able to use the results to support continued and expanded

funding of the program by both the legislature and school districts. The

department has also used the results to obtain funding from other sources.

Truancy rates. During the process of planning and setting goals for the SRO

program, school administrators from all but one of the Stark County Sheriff's Office

partner school districts hoped that the SROs would reduce truancy because the

schools' graduation and promotion rates had fallen well below State-mandated

levels. The SROs counseled truant students, met with their parents or guardians,

and, in some cases, conducted home visits. Graduation rates generally increased

for the three-and-one-half year period since the program began compared with the

four-year period before it began. Of course, to suggest that the work of a single

officer serving numerous schools would, in and of itself, improve attendance, would

be to oversimplify the explanation. Nonetheless, the figures do show the positive

results of the districts' sustained campaigns to tackle truancy, efforts in which the

SRO program has played an integral role. As a result, the Plain Township School

District in Stark County presented the data to the town's chief administrative

officer and to the three elected trustees who appoint him. 

Discipline rates. Many programs expect SROs to reduce discipline rates. Data

collected over two years from Stark County showed that, as the officers became

more fully integrated in their high schools, there was a decrease in the number of

disciplinary actions per 100 students (in-school suspensions, Saturday schools,

out-of-school suspensions, expulsions). A similar decline occurred in some of the

middle schools. By and large, other data showed that the school districts imposed

fewer of the strictest punishments (out-of-school suspension or expulsion) in the

2001-02 school year than they did in 2000-01. Principals suggested two

explanations for the improvement: 

• With a fuller integration of the SRO program, administrators were able to

intervene in cases before they developed into more serious infractions. 

• The SROs' presence may have helped to de-escalate student misbehavior by

calming tensions already in progress.
SRO Program Guide 229

Fairless High School in Stark County tracks changes in a number of measures of

school safety and performance to assess the effectiveness of its Community Care

Team—of which the school's SRO is an integral part—that seeks to overcome

barriers that prevent at-risk students from obtaining an education. The data from

1991 to 2002 (the program began in 1996) showed a significant improvement in

discipline rates as well as in a number of other areas (see below). As a result of

this evidence of the team's effectiveness, when the Stark County Sheriff, facing

massive layoffs due to a budget cut, asked the school district to increase its share

of the SRO's cost, the school board contributed an additional $16,000 from its

general fund to continue to maintain the SRO on the team. Richard Hull, the high

school principal at the time who set up the Care Team, was able to make a

convincing case for the funding in part because he had data showing that the team

was contributing to significant improvements in student proficiency and school

safety.

Free up patrol officers. The Stark County sheriff was interested in knowing whether

placing a deputy in the five school districts had freed road deputies to perform

other vital patrol functions in the county. Data showed that the number of incidents

that deputies other than SROs responded to at schools within its partnering districts

decreased dramatically from 197, or 75 percent of incidents in 1999, to 93, or just

25 percent of incidents in 2001. Without the SRO program in place, even if one

expected a level number of incidents at the schools, sheriff's office deputies would

have had to leave their other patrol areas to respond to approximately 100 more

incidents at schools. If the number of incidents that required a response rose to the

level actually reported in 2001, then deputies would have had to spend even more

time away from their other patrol duties, responding to approximately 280 calls (75

percent of 373). 

Conduct Surveys

Several program supervisors have surveyed students, teachers, school

administrators, and parents to find out if they have used and benefited from the

program—and then used the findings to help convince funding sources to continue

Selected Measures of Effectiveness of the Fairless High School Before and After 

Community Care Team Became Operational

Measure

graduation rate

reading proficiency 

writing proficiency

math proficiency

delinquency rate

severe discipline rate

1991

66%

74%

66%

39%

60 students

111 students

2002

91%

95%

96%

84%

2 students

27 students
230 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

to fund the program. Many school districts routinely conduct "school climate" or

"school quality" surveys of parents, students, or school personnel that include

questions about school safety. In Oklahoma County, in conjunction with the Plain

View School District's overall safety planning process, the school superintendent's

office developed and distributed a survey to teachers and students in the spring of

2002 that specifically addressed the SRO program's performance. The survey

provided two important findings:

• More staff and students from all three grades in the middle school reported that

they would feel more comfortable discussing an unsafe situation with the SRO

than with reporting it to a principal or teacher. 

• Of the various safety measures in place at their schools, staff and students most

often rated the SRO as the most effective. 

Furthermore, when asked their opinion of their building's SRO, students checked

off positive descriptions much more frequently than negative ones: 

• The top five responses were "Cares About Kids," "Fair," "Likes His/Her Job,"

"Good Role Model," and "Problem Solver." No more than eight percent of the

students said they perceived their SRO as "Unavailable," "Useless," or someone

who "Doesn't Like or Trust Kids." 

• Half the participants from both county school districts reported that their opinion of

police had improved since the SROs' arrival, with only one percent reporting that

their opinion of the police had gotten worse.

The Palm Beach County School District conducts an anonymous annual survey

among its principals in which school administrators assess 40 different school

district departments in six different areas on a scale of 1-5, with 5 the highest

rating. School district departments range from the school board, to information

technology, to the assistant superintendent for curriculum and learning, to

employee benefits and risk management. The department's ratings address six

areas: cooperation, image, planning, communication, management, and overall

performance.

In 2003, among 125 of the district's 160 principals who responded to the survey,

"School Police," with a rating of 4.38, had the eighth highest score among 40

school district functions rated (see appendix B). While the police department is

responsible for other important activities in addition to the SRO program, it is likely

that most principals rate the department based primarily on their experience with

the SROs in their schools. The school district also tracks changes in these ratings

over time: the police department's rating has increased steadily in the past several

years from 3.64 in 1996 to 4.38 in 2003—an improvement of 20 percent.
SRO Program Guide 231

Document SRO Activity 

Individuals in a position to sustain the program, or who can recommend that others

continue to fund it, are often unaware of how active SROs are and what they do. For

example, in Sarasota County community groups had been asking to be allowed to

bring their own education programs into the schools—which would have supplanted

some SRO activities. As a result, during an annual presentation of the budget to the

school committee, members asked what the SROs were teaching at each grade

level. After the SROs briefed the members on the officers' wide-ranging activities

from prom night to teaching about Internet safety, the committee decided to protect

the program against attempts by community groups trying to take over some of SRO

program's activities in the schools. 

As discussed in chapter 6, "Supervising SROs," most programs require SROs to

submit logs of their activities. While these logs are an important means of monitoring

SRO activity, programs can also use them to document that their SROs are

busy—and busy doing the right things. For example, Wade McKittrick, the

Marshall high school principal, reported that "Jim [Marshall, the SRO] does a great

job keeping data on his hours, which kids he's talked with, and presentations he's

given. This is a very data-driven school district—we evaluate the value of things and

make budget reductions based on that. Jim's data help sustain the program."

Focus Groups can Provide Useful Evidence of Program Effectiveness

Focus groups make it possible to explore in depth student feelings and perceptions

about a program. When in 1996 the Schaumburg program first expanded beyond a

pilot school to three schools, the school board wanted empirical evidence that the

program was working. As a result, school administrators hired a researcher from a local

university at the end of the program's second year to conduct focus groups with

students. The focus groups showed that, between the spring of 1996 and the spring of

1997, student perceptions of safety were unchanged. However, as the researcher

noted, "Lack of a particularly strong impact by the school resource officers during the

first year should not be surprising . . . . one cannot expect a single staff member to

counter in just one year the effects of normal developmental changes and the intensity

of peer pressures." In short, while programs need to evaluate the SROs' work as early

as the first year of operation to identify any problems with the program, the results in

terms of outcomes should be treated with caution until after the program has been in

operation for at least two years.

As described in detail in the case study at the end of the chapter, until 2003 school

guidance counselors in Schaumburg also conducted annual focus groups at each

grade level at each of the five junior high schools with an SRO. The groups included

random samples of 10 seventh graders and 10 eighth graders, as well as a group of

about 10 combined seventh and eighth graders who had dealt with the SRO 

personally. 
232 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the main reason the police department's community

services division adopted a free incident tracking software program called School

COP (see the box "School COP Enables SROs . . . .") was to document conclusively

how busy and productive the 10 SROs were as a means of avoiding the possibility of

other divisions in the police department, such as patrol, traffic, or detectives, "raiding"

the SROs to increase their own personnel. Although the community services division

is acting proactively in case other divisions should try to "steal" its officers, there is

historical precedent in the department for being concerned. After the 9/11 tragedy, the

agency lost nearly 10 percent of its sworn officers to the military. In response, the

department divisions that lost officers sought to make up for their reductions in

personnel by asking the chief to transfer officers from elsewhere in the department to

their divisions. As a result, the chief did disband the Drug Abuse Resistance

Education (D.A.R.E.) program and transferred its officers to the depleted divisions—

but he left the SRO program unscathed.

School COP Enables SROs to Document Their Activities Effortlessly

School COP is a free software package for entering, tracking, tabulating, and

analyzing incidents that occur on school campuses. Since 2001, School COP has

been downloaded over 5,500 times from its website (see below). It has also been

distributed to over 7,000 police officers, sheriff's deputies, and school administrators

at over 40 COPS in Schools conferences sponsored by the COPS Office.

SROs say that School COP saves them time by making it easy to produce reports for

supervisors, school administrators, and school boards. The software also helps SROs

preserve their positions. As one SRO put it, "I document everything I've been doing—

meetings, counseling activities, etc. This helps me create my own job security . . . .

and helps sell the program." 

• In one community, the police chief presented School COP graphs and summary

reports to the school board. The SRO supervisor reports that "now they [city

officials] are asking, 'Where are we going to find the funds to keep the SRO

program going,' rather than wondering, 'Do we really want to continue this

program?' "

• An SRO program supervisor in a sheriff's office with over 20 SROs serving several

school districts reports that the software "has been a tremendous asset to us. I

currently enter all data from incident reports generated by the SROs as well as any

done by patrol officers after school hours. I generate annual reports by district and

individual school for the superintendents of each district for justification purposes to

continue the SRO program within their districts." 

School COP and an instructional manual may be found at:

www.schoolcopsoftware.com and downloaded for free. Included with the materials is a

sample database that novice users can test out with impunity—that is, without losing

any of their own data.
SRO Program Guide 233

The Palm Beach County School District Police Department keeps a chart that

compares the number of times SROs conducted each of 11 activities each school

year. Activities include student counseling, parent conferences, and arrests. The

chart indicates that, while the student population increased by 7,372 students from

2001 to 2002, the number of arrests decreased by 9 percent; similarly, while the

number of students increased 5,083 from 2002 to 2003, the number of arrests

again declined by 9 percent.

Personal Experience With the Program Can Also Generate Support

Personal experience with the program can sometimes supplement empirical evidence of

effectiveness—or substitute for it. According to Major Skip Rossi, the Sarasota County

Sheriff's Office budget director (and a former SRO), "When I teach at FASRO [the Florida

Association of School Resource Officers], I tell SROs in new programs, 'First and

foremost, the program is built on relationships.' " Indeed, because Sarasota County

central office staff and SRO program staff share office space in the same building, SRO

supervisors and school district staff stop to talk informally when they run into each other

on the sidewalks or in the corridors. 

In several other jurisdictions, individuals in a position to help continue program funding

have had first-hand experience with the SRO program that has contributed to or sealed

their willingness to support it.

• As an elementary school teacher from 1971-1975, Tucson's assistant superintendent of

schools had worked closely with the SRO in his school and never forgot the officer's

help in finding lost children and addressing neighborhood squabbles that spilled over

into the school. 

• A school board member in another jurisdiction said that her best friend's son was in

trouble, but the SRO had helped him to go straight—the boy has graduated from

college. She personally observed her son, who has Downs Syndrome, socializing

comfortably with the SRO, who took an interest in the boy. 

• Kathy Reiber, Marshall school board member (and former classroom teacher),

recounted that "I sat in on a D.A.R.E. class that my daughter was in and I saw Jim

[Marshall, the SRO] work with kids and saw the rapport he has with them." 

• Councilman John Skarbnik in West Orange observed, "I have kids in the schools, and

I've asked them about the SROs. They're very well selected and coach teams. My kids

have become friendly with them—the SROs are almost like a teacher."

Program staff can sometimes set up these personal experiences: Detective Kevin Nolan,

the original SRO in Salem, used to invited school board members to shadow him; several

took him up on the offer and saw first hand how productive and well liked Nolan was.
234 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

The four case studies that follow illustrate some of the same approaches programs

used to maintain program funding discussed above, but each program also used

distinctive strategies that may be worthy of replication.

• The Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department illustrates how a law enforcement

agency with only 21 sworn officers and a single SRO in a very small community

can maintain funding for its program despite a fiscal crisis if the agency works

hard and creatively to build support, including making use of a citizens' academy

attended by school officials.

• The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office program has endured for over a quarter of a

century through a combination of approaches, including providing a service that

principals and assistant principals tell the school district budget director is

absolutely essential; benefiting financially from free office space (and close

interpersonal contact) in the headquarters building owned and occupied by the

school district; and accommodating reasonable requests from the schools for

services that are technically outside the scope of its contract.

• Empirical evidence of the Schaumburg program's effectiveness, including periodic

focus groups with students, that indicated the program was working, along with

widespread support for the program among voting parents, helped convince the

town to increase its financial contribution to the program when the school district

could no longer pay most of the cost.

• When budget cutbacks forced the Stark County Sheriff's Office to reassign its five

SROs to patrol, four of the five school districts found the money to have the

officers returned to the schools. In one district, a "revolt" by the principals at

losing their SROs, coupled with statistics showing that student expulsions had

declined and graduation rates had increased, helped convince the school district

and elected town trustees to find the money.
SRO Program Guide 235

Case Study: Marshall, Minnesota, Police Department (21 sworn officers)

By providing a service school officials value highly, and by creatively promoting the

program, the Marshall Police Department kept its SRO program afloat when it had

to ask the school district to increase its share of the costs.

The Chief Builds Support Through a Citizens Academy

Robert Yant, the Marshall police chief, in part because he anticipated the need for

support for the SRO program from the school district after he had submitted a grant

application to the COPS Office, instituted a citizens' academy and encouraged

school administrators to attend. The chief felt that administrators who were more

familiar with the nature of police work, with the operations of his department, and

with key members of the department would provide increased support for the

program that would not only make the SRO's job easier but also improve the

chances of the school district's maintaining, and even increasing, its financial

contribution to the program after the COPS in Schools grant ran out. Initially, the

grant covered half of the officer's wages and benefits for three years, with the city

contributing 35 percent of the cost and the school district 15 percent. 

Yant went out of his way to invite school administrators to participate in the

academy. Eventually, the high school principal and assistant principal, one of the

two elementary school principals, two-thirds of the school board members, and

some city council members attended. Their participation represented a significant

commitment—27 hours spread over one evening and a Saturday every other week,

culminating in a ride-along with the officer who became the SRO. 

Later, as Chief Yant had hoped, the administrators suggested to other

administrators, teachers, and secretaries in their schools that they attend a future

academy. As a result, at the recommendation of Cynthia Celander, the high school

assistant principal who attended the first academy, the high school principal, Wade

McKittrick, attended the second academy after the SRO program had begun. While

he says that having worked in a Minneapolis suburb previously that had an SRO

had already made him a believer in the program, "I needed to understand how the

Marshall Police Department understands and addresses issues—it was essential

for me to know the intricacies of the department. Every police department looks at

things differently." He also met people in the department—for example, the

dispatchers and the chief—so he could later call them and be immediately

recognized. "Relationship building," he says, "is an important consideration in a

school-police collaboration."

Chief Yant continued to build support for the SRO program in other ways. For

example, he arranged for one of his detectives to give a presentation to the school

board on gang- and drug-related activity in the town and on campus to make sure
236 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

that the administrators would accept the SRO's prevention and enforcement activities

in the schools related to gang activity such as graffiti, signals, clothing, and tattoos.

More generally, the presentation was designed to help the board realize the need for

an officer in the schools.

Funding Cutbacks Force a Change in the Funding Ratio

According to Marshall senior high school principal Wade McKittrick, at the same time

that the COPS in Schools grant was going to expire in 2002, at a bimonthly school

administrators meeting with the superintendent, attended also in this instance by the

school district financial officer, it was clear that the district had to make cuts.

"Knowing that the grant was running out, the question was raised, 'Do we want to

contribute more [than the 15 percent they were already contributing] for this

program?' The answer was 'Yes.' " 

Cynthia Celander, assistant principal at Marshall high school, remembers that "The

superintendent of schools, financial director, and business manager had heard

enough positive comments about the program to fund it." However, providing

funding for the SRO program meant reducing money in other places even more than

the school district had already planned. While the school district was able to avoid

cutting personnel in 2002-03, it did increase fees for some extracurricular activities

and reduced expenditures for capital budgets and supplies. According to Celander,

"This year [2003-04], we had to cut teachers, in part because enrollment is down. But

cutting the SRO was not discussed: the business manager just shook his head and

said, 'I'll figure something out.' " 

Why the School District Was Willing to Increase its Contribution

The school district decided to increase its contribution to the program for four

reasons.

Concern to Enhance School Safety

Several school district administrators made clear that they felt that Jim Marshall's

presence in the schools made it less likely that there would be a safety problem and

that, if a problem occurred, it would be dealt with much more swiftly than if

administrators had to call 911.

Helping Students to Feel Safe 

School administrators believe that the SRO contributed significantly to helping

students to feel safe. 
SRO Program Guide 237

• According to Kathy Reiber, a school board member, "We did surveys of students,

and safety is one of their top concerns. So the district needs to make kids feel

safe—and the program is a small price to pay to help do that."

• Another school official said, "Kids need to feel safe, and the SRO's presence

makes a difference in their feeling of safety. He sends a message about creating

a safe environment."

Concern about Liability 

According to one school district official, in addition to concerns about protecting

students, "A factor at the back of people's minds is that, if the SRO was removed

and a critical incident occurred, parents would blame the school district for dropping

the program. The program is good PR for the school district because it shows that

we are concerned about the kids' safety and we are spending money to do

something about it. Some school killings elsewhere in Minnesota last year created

concern about school safety. We'd be hard pressed after those killings to take away

the SRO." 

Benefits to School Administrators 

Most administrators feel it is not the program that helps them, it is this

particular SRO, Jim Marshall, who helps them.

• The SRO eases the burden on school administrators by helping to handle certain

problem situations or taking care of them entirely. For example, Wade McKittrick

says, "If a teacher can't get a student who is disruptive to leave class, Jim can do

this."

• Another school administrator reported, "There's no question he makes my job

easier. For example, he can take a kid I'm so frustrated with and he puts a

different spin on things and calms the kid down. He also reduced recidivism with

some kids." 

• According to Kathy Reiber, "We put in more money because the program was

working. It saves staff—faculty and administrators—considerable time." 
238 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

Case Study: Sarasota County, Florida, Sheriff's Office (500 sworn)

The Sarasota County SRO program, administered by the sheriff's office and funded

almost equally by the sheriff and the school district, has survived—and expanded—

for over a quarter of a century. The program appears to have sustained itself not

because of any single component but through a combination of features.

The Program Provides Substantial Benefits to the Sheriff's Office

The sheriff's office considers the program a showcase, a particularly bright spot in the

department that gets national attention. In addition, according to Major Skip Rossi, a

former SRO and currently the department's budget director, "If we dropped the SRO

program, we'd be sending road deputies to the campuses all day because the

principals are now conditioned to have immediate help." 

The school district provides the sheriff with in-kind services. The superintendent of

schools and sheriff decided together to house the SRO program in the building

owned by the school district and used for its headquarters. Because space is tight in

the sheriff's office building, the department would have had to rent space and

furniture to house the program. However, the school district donated space to the

program for free, including a large reception area and two offices. 

The Schools Realize Important Benefits From the Program

Because the SROs are well versed in how to deal with kids and because of the

officers' knowledge of safety issues, the chance of a tragedy occurring in the schools

is reduced. For the same reason, the school district's liability is reduced.The program

also eases the burden on school administrators, who are concerned about liability,

too: “What do I do if a kid has a gun?” one of them wondered. “They prefer to have

an SRO available to handle the problem." Some principals have stated that they

would prefer to give up a teacher rather than lose their SRO. 

Because the program is housed in the building owned by the school district and used

for its headquarters, the school district has immediate access to program staff—

something it has made use of during crises or just for in-person meetings instead of

phone calls. When a teacher was arrested, the superintendent was able to meet

immediately with the SRO administrator to discuss the matter. Furthermore, by their

mere accessibility, SRO supervisors can provide security for school district

employees in the building. Robyn Marinelli, supervisor of student services, recounted

that "when the school district received word late one night that an employee might

become extremely upset and act out, the executive director asked me to have an

SRO in the lobby at 7:30 a.m. and remain all day. I called [Tim] Carney [the captain in

charge of the program], who posted one there." The year before, the program

stationed an SRO outside the superintendent's office when it appeared that an angry

school district employee might try to hurt him.
SRO Program Guide 239

The Program Accommodates Reasonable Requests From the Schools

The program frequently honors school district requests for assistance even though

it is not strictly speaking required to do so by the contract. 

• A school principal called Robyn Marinelli about an irate parent who had come to

the school swearing and unwilling to budge because her daughter had been

struck by another student. Because the school's regular SRO was at a training at

the time, school officials had called road deputies—who locked the parent in the

office. As a result, Marinelli called Sergeant Tim Enos, one of the three

supervisors, who immediately dropped what he was doing and raced to the

school, where he defused the situation. 

• When Marinelli has called Enos to report rumors suggesting there might be gang

activity at a particular school at the end of the day, the sergeant has sent four or

five SROs to help keep the peace. Marinelli has asked Enos, "Can you go direct

traffic at the beginning-of-the-school-year teachers' meeting?" The program does

not have to do this, but he agrees. 

• A principal asked for extra details for his graduation to handle the 500 cars that

would be showing up at the school. Captain Carney arranged for a couple of

substitute SROs who are not assigned to specific campuses to help park the cars

and showed up himself to help out.

• SROs provide security at school board meetings. On one occasion, an SRO had

to arrest an irate parent who refused to leave the podium; the officer then shut

down the building. 

• The sheriff's office had been removing the SROs from the schools during the

summer to do beach patrol. As a result, at a principals' meeting several years ago

it was agreed that, because there were summer schools going on, the SROs

were needed on campus. The group assigned a principal to take up the concern

with the sheriff, who arranged to have an SRO in the summer schools or on call

at all times.

The sheriff has personally been helpful to the school district. In 2002, the

county held a referendum to increase the millage on the property tax to provide an

additional $33 million for each of the following four years to increase funds for the

schools. To support the Sarasota County School District's efforts, during the

campaign the sheriff told community groups and the press about the importance of

approving the referendum. He never mentioned the SRO program, which stood to

benefit only slightly from the additional monies (the schools would use a very

modest amount to pay for SRO overtime), instead campaigning primarily in an

effort to provide support to the schools. 
240 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

The result of this willingness to accommodate administrators—within reason—

increases support for the program throughout the entire school district community

because word of how pleased principals, teachers, and school district

administrators are with the program travels to the people in charge of allocating the

money. As a result, the budget managers in the school district who decide whether

they will continue to contribute money to maintaining the program consistently

approve each year's new contract. According to Al Weidner, the school district's

budget director: 

Even in hard times in the 1990s when the system lost State funding, we

increased the program's funding because schools say they don't know how

they would function without it. The feedback I get from principals is that the

SROs are visible and teach. The principals go out of their way to single out

the program to me. I want to make sure we could not be spending the money

on something else and getting a better return our investment, but none of the

administrators ever suggested cutting the SRO program. I recommend to

the assistant superintendent what to spend the district's money on and,

if I get negative comments from the schools on a program, I will

highlight that to the assistant superintendent. Conversely, I highlight

programs that the schools support. [emphasis added]

Neither Partner Feels the Other Is Not Paying Its Fair Share 

The school district has paid about half of the program's costs from when the

initiative first began in 1980, and this has never changed. With only two significant

exceptions, the sheriff's office and the school district have split the program costs

($2.34 million in 2004): first, the sheriff's office currently pays the $66,000 for the

office manager; second, while during the program's first year the two agencies split

the cost of one SRO's cruiser, the sheriff's office has paid for the officers' cruisers

ever since. 

When the sheriff's office requested funding for two additional SROs for the 2004-05

budget, the school board agreed to pay half the cost and the county commissioners

approved the expenditure. The department and school board also agreed to split

the $3,015 cost of maintaining a dog in the program. The school district agreed to

contribute $10,000 for SRO training expenses for registration fees, per diem, and,

when out of state, travel expenses. According to Al Weidner:

When Robyn [Marinelli] and [Tim] Carney negotiated for the 2004-2005 

contract, Robyn came to me to ask for the $10,000 for training the SROs. I 

had no problem approving the funds because the program is very important

and we had the money—the schools like the program and want to expand 

it. 
SRO Program Guide 241

Personal Experience With the Program and Program Staff Helps Ensure

Everyone Supports the Program

There are very senior administrators in the sheriff's office who, as former SROs, have

a first-hand appreciation for the program. The current sheriff—one of the founders of

NASRO—was the program's second SRO, and the department's current budget

director was the third SRO. Three captains are former SROs. 

The program has resulted in a close professional and even personal relationship

between a number of sheriff's and school district personnel. Major Rossi goes fishing

with one school principal who is a long-time program supporter. Because they are

housed in the same building, SRO supervisors and school district staff talk informally

all the time, sharing concerns and gossip, squeezing arms, and ribbing each other.

"This [close proximity] is a big advantage," Sergeant Tim Enos said. "Now, we can

connect a face with the name if we have to communicate by telephone." But, more

typically, people pop into each other's offices or call to ask, "Can I come down to

talk?"

Case Study: Schaumburg, Illinois, School District 54 (140 sworn)

Until 2004, School District 54 paid for three-quarters of the five SROs' salaries and,

because of the perceived quality of the program that was in part based on empirical

evidence and in part due to the program's perceived benefits to administrators and

students, for eight years there was never a question about cutting it back. Examples

of empirical evidence included declines in tobacco use and the continued failure of

gangs to gain a foothold in the schools. 

• Possession of cigarettes and smoking declined dramatically. Detective John

Jameson, the program's first SRO, along with Ward Nelson, then an assistant

principal, rediscovered an existing town ordinance that empowers officers to fine

students $75 for possession of cigarettes. Using the ordinance, the SRO ticketed

some students, whose parents had to pay the fine. In addition, in the first few cases

the students and their parents had to go to court. The other SROs began using the

ordinance, as well. As a result, within two years, cigarette possession and smoking

ended in and around the middle schools. According to one principal, "The school

used to have to suspend several kids for having cigarettes on them; that has

stopped." Without the SROs issuing the citations, it would have been too

cumbersome for school administrators to have repeatedly called 911 to have a

patrol officer come over to issue them.

• Gang activity remained out of the schools. Both the school district's SRO

coordinator and the police department's SRO supervisor believe that local police

departments had already done a good job of making it difficult for gangs to establish

a foothold in the community. However, they believe that the SRO program continued

to keep them out of the schools. Among the reasons students in focus groups (see
242 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

below) gave for the absence of gang activity were the Gang Resistance

Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program taught by the SROs and the

presence of SROs in the buildings.

Focus Groups Showed the Program Was Working—but Could Be Improved

Until 2003, the school district conducted annual focus groups at each grade

level at each of the five junior high schools. The groups included a random

sample of 10 seventh and 10 eighth graders, and a group of about 10 combined

seventh and eighth graders, selected by the principal, assistant principal, and SRO,

who had dealt with the SRO personally. School guidance counselors moderated

the groups, which included a significant focus on the SRO program. 

The results for the school years 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 suggested that the

focus group participants generally found the program helpful. The students

participating in the 2000-2001 focus groups said that they—and their parents—

overwhelmingly liked having an SRO in school and felt safer because of his

presence. Comments from students included statements like "They [other students]

feel good about John Jameson and safer" and "He's very visible." 

These findings—which the school district shared with school board

members—helped convince school district administrators to continue to ask

the school board each year to maintain funding for the program. The results

also pointed out the need for improvements in the program (see the box "By

Identifying Needed Improvements . . . .").

The focus groups were discontinued after the 2001-2002 school year because they

had served their purposes of convincing the board of the program's value and

identifying areas needing improvement when the SROs were new at the job. In

addition, the process and logistics for conducting the focus groups are arduous.

However, the district may resume them for the 2004-2005 school year because

there will be two new SROs. 

By Identifying Needed Improvements, Focus Groups Made It Possible to Make the

Program Even More Attractive to School Administrators

School District 54 gives the results of its annual focus groups to each school for

purposes of goal setting. For example, the early focus groups showed that students

saw the SROs as law enforcers. As a result, the program coordinator reminded the

SROs of the need to spend more time on building relationships with students. The

focus groups also indicated a need to address bullying and sexual harassment. As a

result, the SROs added these topics to their classroom offerings. 
SRO Program Guide 243

Because of a Budget Deficit, the School District Asked the Police Department

to Pay a Larger Share of the Program Costs

When a budget crunch forced the school board in 2002 to discuss laying off

teachers, the idea of dropping or cutting back the SRO program was never raised.

However, things changed in 2003. That year, the school district approached the

Village of Schaumburg (which funds the police department) to explain that,

because of a severe financial crisis and the resulting need to try to save teaching

positions, it could not longer contribute three-quarters of the program's funding. (A

nearby school district had already abandoned its SRO program.) The district had

already frozen its instructional budget for six years, and it was retiring teachers with

30 years' experience and either not replacing them or replacing them with entrylevel—and less expensive—teachers. The school district's funding, derived largely

from property taxes, was curtailed by a cap on its ability to raise taxes; in addition,

State aid for schools had declined. 

Initially, the school district asked the police department to obtain grant funding for

the SROs, but the department pointed out that COPS in Schools grant cannot be

used to support existing SROs. Furthermore, the village was experiencing fiscal

problems itself because it was committed to funding a new convention center and

at the same time confronting a decline in sales tax revenue. 

The school district then surveyed some other SRO programs in Illinois and

discovered that program costs were split evenly between the police department (or

town) and the school district. As a result, the school board in a presentation to the

village council's health and safety committee and in a meeting with the village

manager (who proposes the budget to the village council) asked the village to

adopt the same formula. Sergeant Jerry Thommes, the police department's

program supervisor, also made a presentation to the village trustees and safety

committee urging them to retain the program. The negotiations lasted several

months. 

Eventually, the village agreed to increase its contribution to half the program's costs

because of the widespread support for the program among parents that

would have made it politically unwise to abandon the program. Furthermore,

the village and police department still had a financial incentive to continue the

program because the school district would continue to fund 50 percent of five

SROs for nine months of the year, making it possible to in effect keep these officers

for about half price. 

In turn, the elected school board members agreed to continue to fund the other half

primarily for the same reason the village did—widespread program support

among parents who might have objected vociferously (and at the ballot box)

if the program were abandoned. According to one participant, "No one wanted to
244 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

be singled out in the media as having to accept responsibility for the program's

demise." Another participant said that, if the program were dropped, "There could

have been a backlash from residents." In addition, some school board members with

children in the schools had an especially informed understanding of the program's

value. Finally, according to one participant, "the school board is comfortable with

having cops in the building in case an incident arises—and the SROs do a great job

of anticipating problems."

The police department itself lost no money or personnel despite the school district's

reduced contribution, because the department's funding level from the village did not

change. According to one source, although the village lost 25 percent of the

contribution that the school district had been paying into its general fund, it was able

to achieve economies elsewhere to offset the loss, for example, by merging the

health and public works departments into a single department. In addition, because of

a hiring freeze in the police department, several positions were unfilled whose

salaries, as a result, were not being funded. 

Case Study: Stark County, Ohio, Sheriff's Office (100 sworn officers)

In the process of designing its SRO programs, the Stark County Sheriff's Office

requested suggestions from school administrators in its partnering school districts, as

well as from leaders at other area schools, on the types of problems that a deputy

might help them to manage. School administrators have continued to play a

significant role in the program's operation, participating in the screening and selection

of SROs and in defining the officers' roles and responsibilities. The administrators'

involvement contributed to their willingness to support funding the program

after the COPS in Schools grant ran out.

Budget Cutbacks Forced the Sheriff to Stop the Program

In January 2003, a fiscal crisis, a weakening economy, and a shrinking county budget

combined to endanger the program's continuation. After voters defeated a proposed

sales tax increase, the sheriff's office was forced to lay off over 40 employees as well

as the entire detective bureau. These cuts prompted the agency to recall its five

SROs to redeploy them to conventional patrol. In turn, the sheriff's office also had to

give up its COPS in Schools grant after only two-and-one-half years in the middle of

the 2002-2003 school year because the grant cannot be used to pay for road

deputies.

As a result, the sheriff's office told the school districts that they would have to pick up

most of the cost of SROs if they wanted the program to continue. The department

and the school districts then engaged in protracted negotiations over the amount of

the schools' contributions, with each side trying to pay as little as possible (with the

exception noted below). According to Major Rick Perez, the program supervisor who

conducted the negotiations, "There was a chance the school districts would not fund

the deputies. It went down to the wire." 
SRO Program Guide 245

Four of the five school districts found the money. Their motivation was concern to

maintain safety in the schools and because students, parents, and teachers all felt

safer with a deputy in the schools. In addition, one school district that had reduced its

serious truancy rate significantly at least in part as a result of the efforts of its SRO to

catch truants was concerned the rate would go back up without the SRO. 

The one school district that did not continue the program would have had to lay off a

teacher to afford the SRO. In addition, residents in the school district have a history of

resisting tax increases to enhance school programs and services. Only after many

years of attempts by the school district did local residents recently approve its first tax

levy to fund a badly needed new high school.

Plain Local School District Managed to Find the Money—Three Times

One of the four school districts that found the money illustrates the difficulties and

possibilities school systems face in trying to sustain an SRO program. According to

Major Perez, after the schools in the district had gone without their SROs for three

weeks "the principals had a revolt because they had become dependent on the

SROs over the preceding two-and-one-half years. They liked the real sense of

security the SRO brought to the staff even though he was spread out over 11

buildings. They did not want to go through the second half of the school year without

an SRO in the schools. They appreciated the SRO's preventive role even more,

including handling calls from parents for help." 

Still, there was a lot of negotiating among the sheriff's office, town trustees, and

superintendent over who could pay what to fund the SRO for the rest of the school

year. The township said it could not pay because it was facing cuts after residents of

the town had defeated a special tax. As a result, the superintendent of schools made

the decision to pay for the SRO. The town treasurer, hired by the board of education

as its fiscal manager, approved the $20,851 needed for the remainder of the 2002-

2003 school year.

The next school year, 2003-2004, the superintendent and treasurer convinced the

three town trustees and the township administrator that it was "their turn" to provide

the funding "for protecting the students." According to Mark Cozy, Chief Township

Administrative Officer of Plain Township, who is appointed by the township's three

elected trustees, the schools kept statistics that they presented to the trustees

and chief administrator officer documenting that, although arrests had gone up

since the SRO began working in the schools, expulsions had gone down and the

graduation rate had increased. In addition, school administrators strongly

advocated for retaining the SRO. Finally, the sheriff's office (with which the township

contracts for general law enforcement services) strongly supported the program. As a

result, the trustees and administrator agreed to provide the $42,000 for the 9-month

school year, with the sheriff's office paying the SRO's salary during the three summer

months.
246 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding

The school board and trustees agreed to split the cost of the SRO for the 2004-

2005 school year. The trustees pay the sheriff the full cost of the SRO, and the

school board reimburses the trustees half the expense. Each party sacrificed to be

able to contribute its share: the school board cut back on its hiring plans, while the

trustees decided to lease, instead of buy (as originally planned), the new cruisers

the sheriff's office needed.

Fairless Local School District Found Money From Diverse Sources

In 1996, Richard Hull, when he was the high school principal, developed a

Community Care Team for the Stark County Fairless Local School District high

school. The team consists of teachers, a mental health counselor, a drug

prevention expert, a truancy officer—and the school's SRO. The team seeks to

overcome the obstacles that prevent at-risk students from obtaining an education.

When the sheriff told the district it would have to increase its contributions to its

SRO's salary and fringe benefits, Hull was able to come up with the funds from

multiple sources. First, he was able to secure one-third of the total needed

contribution—$16,000—from the school district's general fund. Hull raised the

remaining funds from the David Foundation, which provides grants to public

charities that assist underprivileged and disadvantaged children in Stark County,

the local chapter of the United Way, and an individual donor. 
SRO Program Guide 247
248 SRO Program Guide

Chapter 8: Maintaining Program Funding
SRO Program Guide 249

The following publications and Web sites provide additional information—or

sources of additional information—about planning, improving, or maintaining an

SRO program and about school safety issues. 

Publications

Addressing School-Related Crime and Disorder: Interim Lessons from School

Based Problem-Solving Projects

This report is based on the activities of COPS School Based Partnership grantees.

Tips and recommendations are provided for developing successful school-based,

problem-solving efforts. Available from

http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=574

Bomb Threats in Schools

This publication summarizes knowledge about the problem, reviews factors that

increase the risk of bomb threats in schools, and reviews responses to the problem

and what evaluative research and police practice have suggested about the

effectiveness of these responses. Available from www.cops.usdoj.gov

Bullying in Schools

There is ongoing concern about school violence, and police have assumed greater

responsibility for helping school officials ensure students' safety. As pressure

increases to place officers in schools, police agencies must decide how best to

contribute to student safety. Will police presence on campuses most enhance

safety? If police cannot or should not be on every campus, can they make other

contributions to student safety? What are good approaches and practices?

Available from http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=272

The COPS Collaboration Toolkit: How to Build, Fix, and Sustain Productive 

Partnerships 

This toolkit provides practical guidance to law enforcement agencies as they

develop and sustain partnerships that support community policing. The toolkit will

benefit law enforcement personnel, community-based organizations, educators,

youth, government officials, and others seeking to combine efforts to reduce crime

and social disorder problems. Available from

http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=344

COPS Gangs Toolkit

The COPS Gangs Toolkit is an interactive CD, which consists of five publications

that provide details of community policing solutions to youth crime and school

violence. Each publication can be downloaded from the disk or ordered from the U.

S. Department of Justice Response Center at (800) 421-6770. Available from

http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=1309

Additional Resources
250 SRO Program Guide

Additional Resources

Creative Partnerships: Supporting Youth, Building Communities

This COPS Innovations piece highlights community policing approaches to developing

partnerships with youth. Three youth-focused programs funded by the COPS Office

illustrate partnerships that law enforcement, schools, and community organizations

can form to address juvenile crime and victimization issues. Available from

http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=573

School COP Software Package

As described in the section on documenting program activity in Chapter 8, Maintaining

Program Funding, this free, downloadable software program makes it possible to

quickly and simply enter, track, tabulate, and analyze incidents that occur on school

campuses. Available from www.schoolcopsoftware.com

School Crime: K-12

This document provides an overview of problems facing schools today: firearms, drug

and alcohol abuse, gangs, sexual crimes, hate crimes, domestic violence, and

homicide. The publication also highlights the general security measures

recommended by the National School Safety Center. Available from

http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32368

School Critical Incident Planning: An Internet Resource Directory

The resources gathered on this Internet site are intended to assist law enforcement

and school personnel to prepare for, respond to, and resolve critical incidents in

schools. Available from http://www.nlectc.org/assistance/schoolsafety.html

SRO Performance Evaluation: A Guide to Getting Results

This publication is a step-by-step guide to help law enforcement and school personnel

use SRO performance evaluation differently than they have in the past in an effort to

better address school crime and disorder problems. This publication is forthcoming

and will available on the COPS Office website: www.cops.usdoj.gov

Victim Services in Schools

This document discusses the creation of school-based victim service programs as

and effective way to prevent victimization in schools and to address the needs of

those who are victimized. The document also provides a bibliography, additional

resources, and more information on school-based action plans. Available from

http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32373
SRO Program Guide 251

Web Sites

Center for Safe Schools

www.safeschools.info/

Center for the Prevention of School Violence

www.cpsv.org

Circle Solutions

www.circlesolutions.com

Corbin & Associates

www.copsite.com/corbin/main.html

National Association of School Resource Officers

www.nasro.org 

National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/

National School Safety Center

www.nsscl.org

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), U.S. Department of

Justice

www.cops.usdoj.gov

www.copsinschools.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

1100 Vermont Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20530

To obtain details on COPS programs, call the

COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770

Visit COPS Online at the address listed below.

Created Date: June 2005

ISBN: 1-932582-53-3

www.cops.usdoj.gov