Every elementary, middle and high school in Seminole County is served by a School Resource Officer (SRO). Officers are representatives of the six municipalities within Seminole County as well as the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.
Today, crime creates fear that reaches every corner of our society, including our schools. The SRO Program places a law-enforcement officer on a school campus, making it the officer's assigned patrol area. The SRO Program is considered one of the most proactive strategies in community-oriented policing and crime prevention. By applying a community oriented policing philosophy within the school, the SRO is able to assist the school administration in providing the most secure and orderly environment possible.
The SRO is a specially trained, state-certified law enforcement officer who is assigned full time during the academic school year. The SRO Program is based on a cooperative relationship between law enforcement officers, teachers, school personnel and parents. It develops a positive relationship between the SRO and students.
The SRO fulfills several important roles. First, as a law enforcement officer, the law must consistently and fairly be enforced. The SRO must take the necessary enforcement actions, when necessary, to ensure a safe and peaceful learning environment. Second, the SRO serves as an instructor, teaching classes that are many times related to core subjects, such as legal issues and citizenship. Some specific topics presented in these classes include juvenile rights, laws of arrest, search and seizure and laws pertaining to alcohol, drugs, DUI and traffic. Finally, the SRO is a counselor who is readily available to assist students and staff members with personal and school related problems when appropriate.
Links to the Seminole County Law Enforcement agencies that provide school resource officers are listed below: