- 
      - **  Home
      - **   About Us
      - **  Archives
      - **  News
      - **  Publications

### Contact Us

To provide feedback on the Community Policing Dispatch, e-mail the editorial board at CPDispatch@usdoj.gov.

To obtain details on COPS Office programs, publications, and resources, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov

**U.S. Department of Justice**        Office of Community Oriented Policing Services            145 N Street, N.E.       Washington, DC 20530      www.cops.usdoj.gov×         Menu         - Home
- About Us
- Archives
- News
- Publications
- Contact Us
**5 Things to Consider Before Posting Cops in Schools**
 February 2018 | Volume 11 | Issue 2

Cops in schools: It’s a contentious issue in contemporary  American society. School administrators and law-enforcement partners are  concerned about it. But other partners—including teachers, counselors, other  school staff members, and parents—are also thinking about the best ways to  improve school safety. Some people feel that we desperately need to place a  sworn, local law-enforcement officer in schools, in addition to regular school  security officers. Others are wary that such appointments lead to increases in  arrests, with a disproportionate impact on students of color and students with  disabilities. If we have law-enforcement officers in our schools, how do we do  it right?

Having worked at the nexus of education and law enforcement  for more than 30 years by training School Resource Officers (SROs) in crime,  drug, violence, and bullying prevention; and helping school administrators to  develop effective policies and practices involving the use of law enforcement  officers in schools, I have formed some observations and guiding questions that  may help school and community leaders answer that question. Based on my  experience working with some excellent SROs who really understand crime  prevention and who do not want to arrest students, I believe police officers can be an important addition to our  schools. From my experience training many SROs around the country, I know that  we can establish the right climate of safety that is conducive to learning—if  we employ well-trained officers who genuinely like working with students.

As in any other  field, we should be using evidence-based programs and approaches when it comes  to school-based law enforcement. The problem is that there isn’t a whole lot of  rigorous research to guide us. The federal National Institute of Justice  recently sponsored a number of studies that will inform our practice, but that  research is ongoing involving studies over multiple years. However, we have had  SROs in schools since the 1950s and have learned important things about how to  do it right. Here’s what we know:
- We must clearly define roles.  School Resource Officers  perform many functions, including educator, mentor/informal counselor, and law  enforcement officer. These functions vary by school environment and community  needs. But one role the SRO should not play is that of enforcing school  discipline. An SRO is sworn to uphold civil law, not enforce school rules.  Communities should carefully consider how the role of the SRO differs from and  complements that of the school security officer.    
Photo Courtesy of the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department 
- We need to make sure that we select the most  appropriate officers to work in our schools.  Recall that SROs work for the local  law-enforcement agency from which they are assigned. They are partners with the  school district, not the administrators’ personal 9-1-1 officers.                 We  should therefore pay close attention to candidates’ motivations to assume this  role. Are they volunteering for the job or have they been assigned to it? Do  they really want to help students  and keep them out of trouble?                 School and  community members’ involvement in the process of interviewing and selecting the  SROs can further clarify their roles and expectations.    
- We must make  sure the SROs are adequately prepared to do their job.  Anyone who works  in schools should receive special training to better understand today’s young  people and the problems they face. School Resource Officers’ training must be  thorough, up-to-date, and go beyond standard training as a law-enforcement  officer.              In addition to  having basic SRO training, these officers should have access to specialized  training in accordance with the specific expectations of the local  law-enforcement/school/community partnership. That might include training in  adolescent brain development, de-escalating threatening situations,  mental-health awareness and how to make referrals, understanding special needs,  or more. If the SRO is trained with members of the school community, everyone  can be on the same page.    
- We should define policy for a stronger partnership.  What is the  policy that guides the partnership between school districts and law  enforcement? An official memorandum of understanding (MOU) can clarify the  duties and responsibilities of both the law enforcement and school partners so  that the entire community understands the role of the SROs. This policy should  include a clear statement that enforcing school discipline is not part of their  job.    
- We must engage community partners.  Keeping schools  safe is the responsibility of more than just the education and law-enforcement  partners. School/law-enforcement partnerships should identify and team up with  other community partners that care about safe schools. For example, local  mental-health providers may be able to offer supports to help students and  their families when needed.

The choice about  whether to have law-enforcement officers in schools is an important local  decision that should be weighed by educators, law enforcement, parents, and  other community stakeholders. Those collaborators should carefully consider  these lessons to guide them in the process. In doing so, local communities can  give our students the supports they need to stay in school—and out of the  criminal-justice system. 

By John Rosiak        

This article was  also featured in *Education Week*

***JOHN  ROSIAK** is an educator, trainer, and facilitator who has supported  school/law-enforcement partnerships around the country since the 1980s. He is  the founder and principal of Prevention Partnerships, www.rosiakassociates.com  which provides training and technical  assistance support to help school, law enforcement, mental health, and juvenile  justice partners to break down silos to develop effective collaborative efforts  for safer and healthier communities.*

Tweet
**Subscribe to Email Updates**
To sign up for monthly updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your email address in the Subscribe box.
Email
The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

**Explore**
- Home
- About Us
- Archives
- News
- Publications
- Contact Us
**Connect With Us**
Want to stay connected with the COPS office?             Follow us on social media!
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
 FOIA 

 No FEAR Act 

 Open Government 

 Plain Writing 

 USA.gov 

 Legal Policies and Disclaimers 

 Language Access Plan 

 DOJ Privacy Policy