The School Resource Officer(SRO) program was implemented in the Salisbury Township School District in September 2005, by mutual consent and agreement of the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners and the Salisbury Township School District, with the following goals:
To create and maintain a safe, secure, and orderly learning environment for students, parents, teachers, and all other school personnel
To establish a trusting channel of communication with students, parents, and teachers
To serve as a positive role model
To take steps appropriate and consistent with a law enforcement officer’s duty, if a crime should occur
To bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and students and to increase positive attitudes toward law enforcement
The SRO program is just that, a resource. This program represents and reflects a proactive community partnership between Salisbury Township and the Salisbury Township School District. The SRO program is based on a triad concept, which consists of a law enforcement officer, a teacher, and an informal counselor. As a law enforcement officer, the SRO investigates crimes and makes arrests, when state laws are violated. The SRO can be an educational resource and can provide law related information to students, parents, and teachers. The SRO may also work with the school’s counselors to provide information on community services, as well as the law. School Resource Officers have become a valuable part of schools and an important link between students and the police community.