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| SRO Program in Clay County |
 The
Clay County school system has four School Resource
Officers (SROs) assigned to its elementary, middle
and high schools. A COPS grant funds two officer
positions and Title IV and Safe School are used to
pay for the other two after the termination of a
COPS grant The program was initiated in 1999, and
while some community members were initially
skeptical about the program, the SROs program now
has the strong support of school officials, students
and parents.
Each of the officers has previous law enforcement
experience; a qualification that they think is
particularly important as many of the situations in
which they are involved require individual judgment
and discretion. In addition, they feel that it is
important that officers have a sense of humor in
order to work effectively with students. The
officers talk to students about their hobbies,
interests, and families so that the youth can get to
know them as individuals, not just law enforcement
officers.
As is often the case with many new SRO programs, the
duties of the officers were not well defined the
first year of operation. The officers mainly made
themselves visible at the school, spending time in
the hallways, lunch rooms, and other spaces where
students gathered. One of the first goals of the
officers was to reduce the number of fights and
disorderly conduct incidents. The second year, their
roles expanded as principals increasingly called
upon them for advice and they began going to
classrooms to make presentations. In addition, they
perform monthly safety inspections at each school.
They frequently meet with parents, sit in on ARC
meetings, accompany students on senior trips and
other extracurricular activities as well as provide
advice to school staff. Currently, they play an
important role with CATS testing, going to every
fifth grade class and talking about issues related
to the practical living core content.
Tommy Jordan, the first SRO hired by the district,
is a retired Kentucky State trooper. He thinks that
it is important for SROs to get involved with
parents. In fact, he frequently informs parents that
since his job is to insure school safety, he works
for them as well as for school officials. It is not
unusual for parents to call him at home to talk or
seek advice.
One of the most significant contributions of the
SROs was completion of a critical incident planning
document three years ago. It was a collaborative
efforts with police chiefs, fire and emergency
department personnel and school officials. The plan,
which includes drawings of each school, outlines
actions to be taken and assigns responsibilities for
each task, and includes a plan to deal with the
media. Practice drills are held at the schools once
or twice a year and include representatives of all
of the parties involved.
The officers agree that the duties of an SRO are
significantly different than those of a regular
patrol officers and, in fact, more rewarding. As
patrol officers, they are used to reacting to an
event that has already taken place; they make an
arrest and take someone into custody. As an SRO,
they have the opportunity to prevent law violations
through the relationships they develop with
students.
The officers agree that their involvement with
students with learning disabilities requires special
consideration. They frequently call upon the special
education coordinator to learn more about the
individual student so that their interventions can
be more effective. They cite the need to react more
cautiously and use discretion in enforcing policies.
The school system maintains a 911 hotline and the
officers have obtained valuable information from the
calls that helps the local law enforcement agency
solve crimes in the community. As a result of the
information gained through their interaction with
students, the officers are responsible for
approximately 75% of the local law enforcement
agency’s cases. Many of the cases involves drug
sales by adults in the community.
Dr. Deann Stivers Allen who played a critical role
in getting the SRO started, says "The School
Resource Officer program is just one critical
element in ensuring student achievement and success
in Clay County. Neither students can learn or
teachers teach if the members of the educational
community do not feel safe. Continually addressing
both the perception of safety and the reality of
safety is a driving force of the SRO program.
Additionally, the SROs’ expertise in certain areas
of the Core Content has provided teachers a resource
for delivery and reinforcement of these concepts."
For additional information contact Dr. Deann Stivers
Allen (859) 598-2168 or by e-mail dallen@clay.k12.ky.us |
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