The SRO (school resource officer) has been around since the 1950´s but they did not become very widespread until the late 1990’s due to the U.S Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services program subsidizing the hiring of SRO´s but also the zero-tolerance policies of school sparked the hiring of schools. This program has grown and is protecting just about every high school in America. The first SRO program began in Flint, Michigan and the overall goal was to improve the relationship between police and students. The SRO tended to act as a teacher and counselor but they were also in place for the safety of students. And this helps reduce arrests for assault and weapons, serious school violence, and crime in areas surrounding schools.   

School resource officers are here to set a good example for the young people of high school, and that means they have to be a good role model. The school resource officer at Skyline High School, and the school resource officer of Rigby middle school and high school, Officer Joseph Sevy says that it can be hard to be a good role model, but they also say that they just have to present themselves as a good person in and outside of the job. They are also in place to help educate students on crime prevention and personal safety. Many school resource officers say that a way they can teach students is through D.A.R.E which some schools teach, but also helping students learn the process of making good decisions, and students can always go and ask any questions they may have. 

Although students may have mixed feelings about what these individuals do, our new resource officer Tyson Hummer states ¨ I think I´m perceived pretty well. Everyone respects me, and I am glad to be at this school.¨ As stated before, the school resource officer is in place to improve relationships between students and the police, but also for students to learn about the legal system. Although there is no class to teach students about the legal system, ¨It is important for everyone to learn the legal system, and the rights that you have.¨ says Officer Hummer. Not everyone might agree with this, and maybe even resent law enforcement officers, but school resources often hope to change things like this. Officer Joseph Sevy states ¨An officer can hope to help prevent crimes, and help other student´s stories be heard, but also having a good relationship with these students while being a person not just a uniform to them.¨

This profession is a very controversial topic and many people believe that an armed officer is unnecessary. However, officers like Hummer say, ¨We are here for the security of the school, and the protection of the students but also a safe learning environment.¨ A school resource officer in every secondary school may even be an intelligent move because the crime rate of students has risen to 1.4 million crimes in one school year. As many know, there have been a few different school shootings in recent news, such as the Nashville Elementary school shooting. Officer Hummer knows that not everyone will like him, but he will always be here to help those in need while being the protector of this school.