Safe Schools Resource Officers. The Attorney General’s Education-Law Enforcement Working Group has developed resource material for a Safe Schools Resource Officer Program, recognizing that the presence of a police officer can be a deterrent in fighting drug use and sales and other forms of criminal behavior in schools. School districts and law enforcement agencies will comply with the training requirements of P.L. 2005, c. 276, (N.J.S.A. 52:17B-71.8; N.J.S.A. 18A:17-43.1) for safe schools resource officers and for the school district liaison to law enforcement, as soon as practicable. Besides enhancing school safety and security and facilitating the handling of delinquency complaints, the assignment of a safe schools resource officer on a full or part-time basis can help to enhance the working relationship between education and law enforcement officials. Most importantly, a Safe Schools Resource Officer program provides these specially trained officers an opportunity to interact with children in positive and constructive ways. It is understood and agreed that the parties to this Agreement shall, during the course of the annual conference convened, pursuant to Article 10 of this Agreement, discuss the feasibility and desirability of implementing this form of relationship.
Safe Schools Resource Officers. The Attorney General’s Education-Law Enforcement Working Group has developed resource material for a Safe Schools Resource Officer Program, recognizing that the presence of a police officer can be a deterrent in fighting drug use and sales and other forms of criminal behavior in schools. Safe schools resource officers are police officers that undergo statutorily mandated training, as set forth in Article 1.9 of this Agreement. Besides enhancing school safety and security and facilitating the handling of delinquency complaints, the assignment of a safe schools resource officer on a full or part-time basis can help to enhance the working relationship between education and law enforcement officials. Most importantly, a Safe Schools Resource Officer program provides these specially trained officers an opportunity to interact with children in positive and constructive ways. It is understood and agreed that the parties to this Agreement shall, during the course of the annual conference convened, pursuant to Article 16 of this Agreement, discuss the feasibility and desirability of implementing this form of community policing.
Safe Schools Resource Officers. The Attorney General’s Education-Law Enforcement Working Group has developed resource material for a Safe Schools Resource Officer Program, recognizing that the presence of a police officer can be a deterrent in fighting drug use and sales and other forms of criminal behavior in schools. Besides enhancing school safety and security and facilitating the handling of delinquency complaints, the assignment of a safe schools resource officer on a full or part- time basis can help to enhance the working relationship between education and law enforcement officials. Most importantly, a Safe Schools Resource Officer Program provides these specially trained officers an opportunity to interact with children in positive and constructive ways. It is understood and agreed that the parties to this Agreement shall, during the course of the annual conference convened pursuant to Article 16 of this Agreement, discuss the feasibility and desirability of implementing this form of community policing.
Safe Schools Resource Officers. A “safe schools resource officer” (SRO) is a trained and specially selected law enforcement officer who supports the philosophy of community policing in schools. Security personnel, on the other hand, are not affiliated with the local law enforcement jurisdiction, may or may not be armed, and are employed to monitor and protect the school building and occupants. The New Jersey Legislature stated that “the job of safe schools resource officer involves great responsibility and highly specialized skills” because “every safe schools resource officer works with and among pupils, teachers and administrators, and many also work with parents” and “by virtue of their daily interaction with pupils, safe schools resource officers invariably make a strong, early impression of the institution of law enforcement,” and found that “the State should provide comprehensive and consistent training for those individuals entrusted with these responsibilities.” Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A-146.10, Class Three special law enforcement officers may provide security and may also provide the role of SRO when schools are in session or occupied by students or staff. Class Three special law enforcement officers are nonetheless distinct from non-law enforcement security personnel, because they “have all the powers conferred by law on police officers,” including “the apprehension of offenders.” (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.10).
