Blog Archives

Failed partnerships? If school boards throw out SROs/school-police, should they not also throw out their superintendents and principals?

Posted by on June 11, 2020

Partnerships. School Resource Officer (SRO) programs are, by definition, built upon partnerships. The school-based police officers’ partners are school administrators — principals at the building level, superintendents at the executive level. In properly managed SRO programs, these partnerships are formalized in written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements. These MOUs are typically signed by school boards […]

In times of racial, community unrest with police, schools need quality School Resource Officer (SRO) police programs more than ever

Posted by on June 4, 2020

As communities across the nation grapple with race and civil unrest with their police, children and police need to come together to collaboratively understand one another, their relationships, and their communities. There is no better form of true community policing than properly designed and implemented School Resource Officer (SRO) school-based policing programs. School boards, administrators […]

Spring Valley High School police – student altercation analysis: A failure of administration and School Resource Officer (SRO) best practices

Posted by on November 2, 2015

The viral video of a South Carolina School Resource Officer (SRO) dragging a female student out of a classroom chair raises as many questions about a failure of school administration as it raises questions about school officer tactics and best practices in school-based policing. Three wrongs a disaster makes “This situation was a no-win as […]

Body cameras in schools: Are School Resource Officers (SROs) and principals missing the big picture?

Posted by on July 7, 2015

How quickly will students rush to the assistant principal or School Resource Officer (SRO) to report a student carrying a gun, a school shooting plot, or abuse taking place at their home if these adults have a camera rolling on their personal conversation? Many students will view body cameras as an instant barrier that only reinforces their […]

Should School Resource Officers (SROs) store high-powered weapons in schools?

Posted by on March 13, 2014

Given today’s active shooters may very well come heavily armed, and perhaps better equipped, than the typical school-based police officer who may encounter them in a school hallway, some local law enforcement agencies are looking at leveling the playing field. Aim for transparency When police departments propose storing in schools some higher-powered weapons than the […]

School police: Amazing actions of a teacher facing danger

Posted by on June 17, 2013

A Florida suburban middle school teacher observed a student in his classroom showing another student what turned out to be a .45 caliber gun. The student returned it to his book bag from which he had originally removed it as the teacher approached. Did the teacher run, jump in the air and tackle the student? Did he yell “gun” and […]

Do ALICE training tactics put students, teachers at risk?

Posted by on June 14, 2013

Questions about student and teacher safety continue to mount as some schools deploy questionable drill tactics in which children and teachers are instructed to throw things at, and to attack, armed gunmen. The tactics stem from the controversial “Counter” component of the A.L.I.C.E. Training program, which stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. Questionable tactics stemming from A.L.I.C.E. training In recent months, […]

School police association rejects training students to attack armed intruders

Posted by on December 13, 2012

The national association representing school-based police officers does NOT endorse the idea of teaching students to throw objects and attack armed intruders, its executive director confirmed earlier today. The association also does NOT endorse the idea of teaching school-based police officers to teach students to throw objects and attack armed intruders. Mo Canady, Executive Director […]

School board, superintendent reject ALICE student training to attack armed intruders

Posted by on December 9, 2012

The Canton (MA) school board and superintendent on Thursday rejected moving forward with training students to attack armed intruders under what a Boston Globe article called a “controversial new security protocol” known as A.L.I.C.E. training. “We are not ready to go beyond the point of training staff,” the Globe quoted Superintendent Jeffrey Granatino as saying […]

Handcuffed student in police car shoots himself after school threat

Posted by on December 7, 2012

Deputies did not conduct a full search of a troubled Texas high school senior and missed a gun that he used to shoot himself police said on Thursday, according to Houston Chronicle newspaper article. The 17-year-old male student was in intensive care after officers performed a quick pat-down on Wednesday following concerns that the high school […]