According to board members, the primary function of the position is to prevent unauthorized entry into campus buildings.
“We’re looking for those folks who really want to make a huge impact. Post Parkland we’ve had a surge of people who really want to make a difference,” schools police Chief Edwin Lopez told CBS Miami.
As part of the PSU Police’s Student Safety Ambassadors program, student ambassadors patrol the campus grounds, walking through buildings at night. The students also help with late-night safe walks, escorting students back to their residence halls after dark.
A Washington State school district and police department are partnering up to provide an SRO to the local high school.
According to Broyles, the volunteers went through 60 hours of intensive training with law enforcement. The school district wants CSSOs on and near campuses in case of an emergency.
Officer Jason Trimborn said his job as a school resource officer is to “give them the sense of safety, stability, security that comes with having an officer there to be the first line of defense to anything bad that can happen at the school.”
West Aurora School District hires officer to increase security
The seven employees authorized to carry on campus were trained by the Arkansas State Police. Those who are teachers lock their guns in a safe while they’re in the classroom.
The safety committee’s plan involves hiring 16 police officers to help patrol at elementary school campuses. There are already police officers in place at each of the district’s middle and high school campuses.
“Nothing is more sacred to us than the safety of our students and staff,” Superintendent of Schools Danny A. Robertozzi said.