School
Resource Officers (S.R.O.) or Liaison Officers have been around since the late
1950’s. Appearing first in Flint, Michigan. By the 1970’s, S.R.O.’s were recognized nationally and
could be found in states such as, Arizona, California, and Florida.
S.R.O.’s
are based on a triad concept. At the top
you would find a law enforcement officer. First
and foremost the officer in the school is a police officer and it is their duty
to assist with the prevention and investigation of criminal activity that occurs
on or near school campus. The
bottom two corners of this concept are made up of a teacher and a counselor. The teacher role is someone that goes into a classroom or
speaks with students, staff, or parents on an individual basis.
Topics could be about drugs, criminal activity, laws, or legal questions.
The counselor part of the position allows the officer to be a resource to
the school community.
You
may be asking yourself, “Do we need a School Resource Officer in the Buffalo
Schools?” The answer may be in
how you view a police officer or more specifically an SRO.
The Buffalo Schools are safe, and that is one reason we have an SRO, to
help maintain a safe school. But
also keep in mind besides the safety factor; there are other reasons for an SRO
to be in a school. As a resource
and an educator as mentioned before. SRO’s
are another person to assist in the development of our young people.
It is important to remember that an SRO can be a preventative tool not
only benefits the school, but also the community as a whole.
In September of 2000 Officer Glenda Ridley took the position of School Resource Officer at the Buffalo High School. In addition to our SRO at the High School, we also have Officer Josh Erickson at the Buffalo Middle School. He is also a liaison for Cornerstones, and Wright Technical Center. The Buffalo SRO's office at the schools and their duties are full-time at the school during the school year. During the summer months the officer will return to the police department and return to patrol duties.