Inner city school violence and crime have long been problems. Whether schools add metal detectors, security guards, or uniforms to stem violence and crime, in all likelihood these problems will continue amid the chaos of the school day. But if the goal is to teach children in "rough" inner city schools why it is so important for them to be involved in school safety, who is better to reach these students than the School Resource Officers (SROs) who go to school every day to keep the peace? Instead of just keeping the peace, teaching kids ways to prevent crime would be far more beneficial.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the U.S. Department of Justice defines a School Resource Officer as a "career law enforcement officer, with sworn authority, assigned by the employing police department to work at a school in collaboration with school and community-based organizations." SROs are taught to work in three main capacities: to be law enforcement officers, law-related counselors, and law- related educators.
Washington, DC, a city that has been known to have divisions between police and community, has decided to implement a program known as “the Officer Friendly Program.” Newly appointed Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier explained that police officers are a student’s friend and a resource if something is wrong. She was quoted at an event covered by the Washington Post as saying, "Police officers are just like everybody else; when you are at home and you see a police officer walking by, wave and say hello." She also told students, "When you need help, you go to a police officer." I hope these quotes will ring true in school-age children’s minds.
Chief Lanier is not undertaking this program alone. The National Crime Prevention Council provided materials including comic books, handouts, and reproducible materials to officers at a recent Officer Friendly meeting. The National Crime Prevention Council’s nationally known icon, McGruff the Crime Dog, will also be used to help SROs get students interested in preventing crime and promoting school safety.
For information on the Officer Friendly Program please visit the DC Metro Police Department website. For information on school safety and crime prevention, please visit NCPC’s website.
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