Why Have an SRO?

By Kip Heinle
 
A school resource officer is the first line of defense against evil that could walk down your halls or onto your school property.
 
The hats that SROs wear are many. Not only do we keep peace and order at schools and school functions, but we are also mentors to students. We are educators; most of us present in classrooms on various topics. We are parent figures to students who need a positive adult in their life for whatever reason. We are counselors with a listening ear for students, faculty, and staff. We are building engineers; we need to know the ins and outs of our buildings, because in an emergency we may need to know how to shut off the water or gas. Or we may need to know how to open up that elevator when the electricity goes out, because there is a student in it who can’t get out and is calling for help.
 
These are all things that I have done in my career as an SRO.
 
I would say 90% of my job as an SRO doesn’t necessarily deal with police work, but I’m trained to deal with any such situation that can arise and has arisen. I have taken a loaded gun off a kid who had plans to use it after school. I have ridden in the back of an ambulance to comfort a student who had a medical emergency because they wanted a familiar face to go with them.
 
The contacts and bridges I have built — and many SROs will build — are priceless. Many times the SRO is the most visible person in the district, building, and the police agency they work for. I suggest when choosing an SRO, the school and local police agency work together to choose the correct fit for the school. The SRO needs a special personality to deal with young adults and their parents. You don’t want an SRO who wants an “easy” day job, because there is nothing easy about being an SRO. You want somebody who “buys in,” or has a vested interest in the school and community. I often attend events as a “regular” person — no uniform, just as a fan or parent. I try to attend one home event for each team regardless of level. I will attend a band and chorus concert, and a play or the musical. This goes a long way with students.
 
In today’s current climate, building these bridges is important, because these students are our futures. There have been times when students, both current and former, will come to me and provide me with information — because they trust me. I recently had a former student, who was suicidal, request for me to respond to the scene where he was up on a roof of a house. I was able to talk to him at the scene, and he was transported to receive the help that he needed.
 
SROs are a presence in the halls. They need to be proactive in their approach to things at the schools. If there is a trouble spot in the school, they need to respond and concentrate on that area. They need to be visible, during passing period, lunch, and at extra-curricular activities after school. Students and spectators will feel safer seeing a familiar face at these events.
 
School resource officers may cost money to school districts, but the services they offer and what they are trained to do is priceless. 
 

Kip Heinle is a School Resource Officer for Triad CUSD 2 in Troy and a Deputy with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.