The Missing Piece: Your School Resource Officer as an Ally in Parenting

The school environment is not the same as it was 20 or 30 years ago. Even though students are facing many of the same challenges such as bullying and insecurities, they're experiencing them more frequently and more intensely than ever before. Advancements in technology and social media immortalize embarrassing moments and spread them faster than a virus. The culture of tobacco products, drugs, and alcohol has evolved beyond recognition. These products are now hidden in plain sight, more concentrated, and potentially more dangerous than ever before. If you're thinking, My child would never!, then you're already thinking too late.

How much do you know about what's really going on in your child's school? Contrary to what we may see about policing in the news, the school resource officer is not there to get kids in trouble, proactively arrest them, or perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline. Instead, we serve as law enforcement, an informal counselor/mentor, and public safety educator for our students. We have been trained in child development, de-escalation techniques, and how to encourage responsible decision-making. We are in the schools as a resource to students, parents, staff, and the community at large.

This is my heart and soul. I live, eat, and breathe everything SRO. As a parent myself, my hope is to educate you on all of the ways we are here to support children and to dispel any preconceived notions about being the enemy. In reality, we are one of your child's greatest resources, and I wouldn't have it any other way!