The Westfield Police Department, in cooperation with Westfield Washington Schools, implemented the School Resource Officer Program in August of 2007. The School Resource Officer (SRO) is a sworn Westfield Police Officer assigned to provide Law Enforcement expertise and resources to assist school staff in maintaining safety, security, order, and discipline within the schools. The SRO is responsible for investigating criminal cases and traffic accidents, enforcing criminal and traffic laws, and working with school administrators on student and staff safety and security issues. The schools are the equivalent of the SRO's patrol area.
Our school resource officers complete training through the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), becoming certified SROs within the first year appointed. The NASRO program considers it a best practice to use a "triad concept" to define the three main roles of school resource officers: educator (i.e., guest lecturer), informal counselor/mentor, and law enforcement officer. They believe the goals of a well-founded SRO program include "providing safe learning environments in our nation's schools, providing valuable resources to school staff members, fostering positive relationships with youth, developing strategies to resolve problems affecting youth and protecting all students, so that they can reach their fullest potentials."
