(Smyrna) – In the effort to improve safety in Delaware’s public and charter schools, School Resource Officers (SRO) are considered to be the strongest partners. This week, SROs from across the state are in Georgetown, DE for a Basic School Resource Officer training course.
The courses, coordinated through the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), are offered throughout the country at various times and locations. Delaware’s Comprehensive School Safety Program brought the training to the state as a means of reducing the cost to local districts by eliminating travel and housing expenses. The training course was made available to any School Resource Officer or other law enforcement personnel within Delaware, from public, charter, or private schools.
The course builds upon the NASRO concept that a School Resource Officer’s responsibilities lie within three areas: Educator, Informal Counselor, and Law Enforcement Officer. By training SROs in those three areas, their effectiveness is enhanced, while the image of the officers is given a positive light.
Training began Monday, June 19 and ends Friday, June 23. The course is given an added local impact with the inclusion of Georgetown Police Detective Joseph Melvin as an instructor.
Another course will be offered August 21-25 at State Police Troop 2 in Newark. For information on registration, contact Evelyn Brown, Comprehensive School Safety Manager at 302-659-2324.