NCJ Number
198370
Date Published
September 2002
Length
47 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) second annual survey of school-based police officers reflecting a professional industry addressing issues largely related to terrorism, school security, and crisis preparedness.
Abstract
In 2002, a 52-question survey from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) was administered to attendees of the 12th annual NASRO conference in California representing one of the largest gatherings of School Resource Officers (SROs) and providing a great cross-section of officers who are directly on the front-lines of school safety. The 2002 survey instrument was designed to address issues largely related to terrorism, school security, and crisis preparedness, as well as SRO training issues, specific available resources to SROs, and current SRO program description and operations issues. Key significant findings from the survey include: (1) an overwhelming majority of school-based police officers felt that their schools were vulnerable to a terrorist attack and a substantial percentage did not feel that schools within their districts were adequately prepared to respond to a terrorist attack; (2) the majority of SROs reported that significant gaps existed in their schools’ security, their school crisis plans were inadequate, as well as either untested or inadequately tested and exercised; and (3) school-based officers had received limited training and minimal support from outside agencies in preparing for a terrorist attack on their schools and a large majority of SROs reported that their in-house school security personnel, administrators, and teachers had received no terrorism specific training. Recommendations include: (1) NASRO should strongly encourage Federal, State, and local education and public safety agencies to include schools in meaningful terrorism and homeland security planning, as well as resource allocations; (2) NASRO should encourage and support meaningful legislative and programmatic initiatives assisting schools in improving school security policies, procedures, and programs and in developing, revising, and testing emergency/crisis plans; (3) NASRO should encourage and support meaningful initiatives to fund and implement greater training opportunities for school-based police officers and expand overall specialized training for SROs and SRO supervisors; and (4) NASRO should maintain an awareness campaign on the findings and issues by encouraging national education and public safety organizations to disseminate the survey findings and information on best practices in school-based policing. The report presents percentages and graphic illustrations of responses from the survey leading to the findings and conclusions. Figures