Civil rights advocates who portray police in schools as overly arresting kids are simply wrong.
Police officers who work in schools, commonly known as School Resource Officers (SROs), generally perform more as prevention programs where officers prevent incidents versus taking on a “cuff’n’stuff” role with the intent of increasing student arrests.
That’s not stopping civil rights and other special interest groups to claim, as was done in this suburban Cleveland news article, that “Stories abound of ever-younger children being pulled out of the classroom for seemingly minor infractions, only to end up with a criminal record from a young age.” (ACLU says police respond to schools too often)
Two recent news stories highlight school-based police officers in a much more accurate and positive light than do a number of other recent articles, books, and other politically-driven attacks upon police in schools:
- Study says officers help deter crime in schools: A research study in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, concluded that school resource officers are effective. The study found it normal for reported crimes to increase after officers are placed inside schools. The university professor leading the study said it does not necessarily mean more crimes are being committed, but that officers are reporting offenses that might have otherwise gone unreported.
- Wake survey praises having armed officers in schools. In Raleigh, North Carolina, school administrators praised the effectiveness of armed officers in their schools. Survey data of school administrators showed “strong support” from middle and high school principals for the SRO program. School officials presented data showing a 54% drop in violent incidents in the district’s middle and high schools over the past six years.
These findings are consistent with my surveys of SROs back to 2001.
The findings are also consistent with my first-hand work with SROs across the country.
Stay tuned for more on the latest political assault upon school safety!
Ken Trump
Visit School Security Blog at: http://www.schoolsecurityblog.com
I am a school police officer. I really appreciate that article. I find myself being a mother, father, counselor, therapist, social worker and confidant to our students. I love them and tell them so every day. I hold them accountable for their bad choices but let them know I am an advocate to their future and being a successful, functional adult. Yes, there are times when I have to be punitive, but these kids know their boundaries and what happens when they intentionally cross them. Our students know that they can come to our police office with any problem and find the assistance they need. We have had kids come and talk to us about substance abuse issues, pregnancy, bullying, dating violence and physical abuse in the home, knowing that we are going to find them the appropriate help, not cuff them and take them to jail. As always, those critics who say we are a “Cuff and stuff” entity just don’t know what they are talking about. I would invite any one of them to spend a day with me on the job. God bless you sir!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and concerns, Julie. Unfortunately, there is an attack upon school police going on by civil rights special interest groups across the nation. Sadly, while done under the guise of school safety, there appears to be a broader political and social agenda at play. Thanks for all you do. Stay safe! Ken