Montana Safe Schools Center services for law enforcement and School Resorce Officers (SROs)

MSSC - for Law Enforcement

School Resource Officers in Schools:

School Resource Officers (SROs) are critical during an emergency - everyone recognizes and values you in that role. However, your role as an SRO extends far beyond emergency response. You are critical in crime prevention and both the development and maintenance of a safe and effective learning environment.

The Montana Safe Schools Center believes SROs are one of the most important and often underutilized functions in the school community.

What you can do:

Your job is a difficult one and you have to bridge the perceived differences between an open academic environment and a secure campus. Here are some suggestions on ways you as an SRO can make your school(s) safer and healthier - whether as a solo officer or a team member.

Get to know students in non-confrontational settings.
Help students to see you as a mentor, peace keeper, and problem solver, not just as an enforcer.
Help students learn about the costs of violence to their community -- financial, social, and physical.
Link them with others in the community who are affected by violence to help them understand its lasting impacts.
Provide accurate information about your state's juvenile and criminal justice systems and what happens to youth who are arrested.
Explain the kinds of help available to young people who are in distress or who are victims of crime.
Help develop a formal memorandum of understanding with the school about handling complaints, criminal events, and other calls for service.
Volunteer to serve on the school's Safe School planning team.
Work to include school administrators, staff, and students in existing prevention action against gang weapons, and other threats.
Develop links with parents through parent-teacher associations and other groups; educate them on violence prevention strategies and help them understand the importance of their support.
Work with other community groups to put positive after-school activities in place throughout the community and for all ages.
Help school staff perform a security survey of the school building, identifying lighting needs, requirements for locks and other security devices, areas where physical changes to the building could increase safety, and needs for pruning or other landscaping changes (See our Montana Safe Schools Center Emergency Management Resources page for assessment templates).
Share training opportunities through your department with school security personnel.

How we partner with SROs:

Staff of the Montana Safe Schools Center include safety researchers, nationally recognized emergency management trainers, former police officers and school administrators. Since 2003 we have provided resources for, and partnered on training with SROs from across Montana - particularly in Missoula, Ravalli County, Billings, and Helena. We have also assisted with grant applications and program evaluation.

Some of the areas in which we can help you make your schools and communities safer are: