I certainly know the benefits of an SRO. And I believe any school could benefit from one, again, if they’re properly selected and properly trained.
Washington, DC (PRWEB) February 28, 2013
Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), testified before a House committee yesterday that any school can benefit from a carefully-selected, well-trained school resource officer (SRO).
During a school safety hearing conducted by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Canady asked that all police officers stationed in schools receive specialized training.
“I certainly know the benefits of an SRO,” Canady said. “And I believe any school could benefit from one, again, if they’re properly selected and properly trained.”
After the hearing, Canady said NASRO does not support increasing police presence in schools for its own sake. “Placing police officers in schools without specific training will not work,” Canady explained. “Schools must have a plan and the best plans include properly trained law enforcement officers.”
Responding to a question about school violence prevention, Canady testified that the most important issue is developing trusted relationships, especially between students and adults. “You can get more information from a student when you have a positive relationship with them than you can in trying to interrogate someone,” Canady told the committee. “So the relationship is huge but also I would add to that the relationship with parents. When the parents trust the SRO, or the school counselor or the school administrator, they’re more willing to share information, which can be very helpful.”
On the issue of arming educators, Canady joined the majority of the panel of witnesses in advising against it. “Our association took a strong stance on that from the beginning and that was we would not favor the wholesale arming of teachers,” Canady testified. He later added that NASRO recognizes that unique situations exist and there is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
More information about NASRO and a research report on the benefits of school resource officer programs is available at http://www.nasro.org.
About NASRO
NASRO is a not-for-profit organization for school-based law enforcement officers, school administrators and school security/safety professionals working as partners to protect students, school faculty and staff and the schools they attend. NASRO is located in Hoover, Ala. and was established in 1991. For more information, visit http://www.nasro.org.
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