Winters ISD's School Resource Officer (SRO)
Officer Thomas Stiles
School Resource Officer (SRO) Specific Duties
- Maintain a presence on all campuses especially before school, at lunch periods and immediately after school.
- The SRO is to be a visible, active law enforcement figure on campus dealing with law enforcement matters and school code violations originating on the assigned campus.
- As to school code violations, the SRO will take the student to the principal’s office for discipline to be meted out by school officials.
- In the performance of their duties, the SRO shall coordinate and communicate with the Superintendent, the campus principals, and the principals’ designee of the schools.
- The SRO is an extension of the principal’s office for assignments and duties.
- The SRO is to act as the designee of the campus administrator in maintaining the physical plant of the assigned campus to provide a safe environment as to law enforcement matters and school code violations. This includes building(s), grounds, parking lot(s), lockers and other public school property.
- The SRO is not discipline personnel. He will take the student to the principal’s office for discipline to be meted out by school officials.
- The SRO can provide a classroom resource for law education using approved materials.
- The SRO is expected to be a resource for students which will enable them to be associated with a law enforcement figure and role model in the students’ environment.
- The SRO is to be a resource for teachers, parents, and students for conferences on an individual basis dealing with individual problems or questions, particularly in the area of substance control.
- The SRO may make appearances before site councils, parent groups, and other groups associated with the campus and as a speaker on a variety of requested topics, particularly drug and alcohol abuse.
- The SRO will help intervene/prevent a disruption that would, if ignored, place students, faculty and staff at risk of harm or otherwise create a danger to the school community.
- The SRO is to escort students to the principal’s office in order for the principal to address and impose consequences for violations of the Student Code of Conduct and/or the District dress code.
- The SRO will report all crimes originating on campus.
- Information on cases that are worked off-campus by the Police Department or other agencies involving students on a campus served by an SRO will be provided to the SRO.
- The SRO is part of the District safety team and will share information with campus administrators about persons and conditions that pertain to campus safety concerns.
- The SRO will be familiar with helpful community agencies, such as mental health clinics, drug treatment centers, etc., that offer assistance to dependency- and delinquency-prone youths and their families and make referrals when necessary.
- The SRO will work with the principals to develop plans and strategies to prevent and/or minimize dangerous situations which might result in student unrest.
- The SRO may be asked to provide community wide crime prevention presentations that include, but are not limited to: Drugs and the law – Adult and juvenile; Alcohol and the law – Adult and juvenile; Sexual assault prevention; Safety programs – Adult and juvenile; and Assistance in other crime prevention programs as assigned
- SROs shall not transport students in Police Department vehicles except:
- When the students are victims of a crime, under arrest, or some other emergency circumstances exist; and
- When students are suspended and/or sent home from school pursuant to school disciplinary actions, if the student’s parent or guardian has refused or is unable to pick up the child within a reasonable time period and the student is disruptive/disorderly and his/her continued presence on campus is a threat to the safety and welfare of other students.
- The SRO will assist with existing school programs such as athletic events, dances, and parent/teacher organizations.
- The SRO will provide extra traffic enforcement and control in school zones and around the district.