GENERAL INFORMATION
How We Envision Our Future
The Ohio School Resource Officers Association (OSROA) will continue to be a leading authority on school-based law enforcement and school safety through the development of professional/legislative relationships and training standards.
What We Wish To Accomplish
The mission of the Ohio School Resource Officers Association (OSROA) is to promote and facilitate training and communication among School Resource Officers, educators and school security personnel in Ohio. OSROA is a resource for school-based law enforcement and educators to use to create safe and positive learning environments in Ohio’s schools.
Why We Are Passionate About Our Mission
The Ohio School Resource Officers Association (OSROA) believes that the presence of a properly trained School Resource Officer within a school provides a first line of defense against violence, fosters communication/partnerships between educators, law enforcement, students and parents, and ensures safer and more productive school communities in Ohio.
Our Goals
- Continually monitor SRO duties, current trends and school-based law to identify, develop and provide training and/or resources on school-based law enforcement/safe school topics.
- Advocate for SROs and school safety.
- Encourage the growth and viability of the Ohio School Resource Officers Association
BYLAWS of the
OHIO SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
(Revised June 27, 2016 per Business/membership Meeting vote)
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Ohio School Resource Officers Association, a nonprofit organization, recognize that law enforcement professionals can have a positive influence on the school campuses and the youth of Ohio. The Ohio School Resource Officers Association believes the School Resource Officer triad concept of Teacher, Counselor, and Law Enforcement Officer is the cornerstone from which our organization is built. We believe that school based policing does reduce crime and violence in the schools and creates a positive learning environment by which teachers feel safe to teach and students feel safe to learn. We hereby form these Bylaws for the promotion and advancement of School Resource Officer programs throughout the State of Ohio; the concept that School Based Policing is a valuable asset to Law Enforcement and the Educational Process; and that the safety and security of Ohio’s most valuable resource, Our Children, is of utmost importance.
What School Resource Officers Are
SROs are valuable resources for their schools. They are trained to fulfill three roles. First and foremost, they are law enforcement officers whose primary purpose is to “keep the peace” in their schools so that students can learn and teachers can teach.
Second, they are law-related mentors who provide guidance on various issues to students, parents, and school administrators and act as a link to support services both inside and outside the school environment.
Third, they are law-related education instructors who provide schools with an additional educational resource by sharing their expertise in the classroom.
Beyond these identified roles and, perhaps most importantly, SROs are positive role models and mentors for many students who are not exposed to such role models in today’s society. Their presence in the schools sends a strong message that violence is not acceptable.
What SRO Programs Are
A School Resource Officer (SRO) program places law enforcement officers/deputies in schools with the goal of creating and maintaining a safe, secure, and orderly learning environment for students, teachers, and staff. An SRO program reflects a community’s desire to ensure that its schools are safe, secure and orderly. SROs represent a proactive strategy designed to bring prevention and intervention into the schools.
The “Promise” Of School Resource Officer Program
An SRO program is a “promising” strategy because it enables communities and schools to address school violence with both prevention and intervention techniques. Having an SRO on a school campus can deter problem situations from arising and can enhance a school’s capacity to address its safety and security concerns. When problems do arise, SROs can intervene quickly to address the situation. SROs can contribute to safe school planning efforts and offer their schools a resource to turn to when emergencies occur.
Ultimately, the presence of an SRO assists in making the school safer and more secure for students, teachers, and staff. The entire community benefits as well because learning is more likely to take place in such an environment.