SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER

Mission: Fort Bragg is a small town nestled between the coast and the redwoods with a strong sense of community that seeks to preserve its environment while providing resilient public facilities and infrastructure and supporting a safe and vibrant economic, multi-cultural, and recreational experience for both locals and visitors alike.

Vision: Fort Bragg, a California coastal destination with rich natural resources and rugged beauty, is transforming our future by weaving together our people, ecosystems, and economy to create community prosperity. We are making our mark in the 21st Century by creating climate-ready water and energy independence, housing and economic opportunities, accessible health care, community public safety, and education for all.

We are guided by the following Core Values:

Innovation: We highly encourage creativity and forward-thinking solutions to meet the evolving needs of our city.

Honesty & Integrity: We believe in transparent, honest, and ethical interactions with our community and stakeholders.

Service-Oriented: We are responsive to the public and to each other to demonstrate our genuine commitment to creating a Fort Bragg that Serves us today and readies us for a successful tomorrow.

Fair & Ethical: principles and practices, Fort Bragg promotes an inclusive community culture of unity and equality that openly invites everyone to enjoy our unique coastal enclave.

Collaboration: nourishes civic pride and celebrates the diversity of our city and the meaningful municipal services that our residents and businesses rely on.

POSITION SUMMARY

Patrols District schools, offices, and other property; apprehends suspects; investigates crimes; and makes recommendations for the disposition of criminal and related matters involving the security of District facilities, personnel, students, or visitors.

TYPICAL DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Provide law enforcement expertise to the District’s administrators.
• Provide information and knowledge gained as a result of gang and drug information received through law enforcement training to District administrators.
• Receive information from District administrators regarding student discipline under the Education Code and District Board Policies and Administrative Regulations.
• Receive information from District administrators regarding the occurrence of a crime or likelihood of the occurrence of a crime being committed on, or adjacent to, District property.
• Enforce federal, state, and local criminal laws and ordinances, and assist District officials with the enforcement of District Board Policies and Administrative Regulations regarding student conduct.
• Investigate criminal activity committed on, or adjacent to, District property.
• Counsel District students in special situations, such as students suspected of engaging in criminal misconduct, when requested by the principal or the principal’s designee.
• Answer questions that students may have about California criminal or juvenile laws.
• Assist other law enforcement officers with outside investigations concerning students attending the school(s) to which the School Resource Officer is assigned.
• Provide security for special District events or functions at the request of the principal or the Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance in conjunction with the City.
• Conduct presentations within the scope of their duties to school staff upon request.
• Make classroom presentations as directed, including regular visits to elementary schools in the District on a mutually agreed-upon schedule.
• Act as designee of the campus administrator in maintaining the physical presence of the assigned; provide a safe environment as to law enforcement matters and school code violations. This includes buildings, grounds, parking lots, lockers, and other public school’s properties.
• 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 a School Resource Officer will be provided to the School Resource Officer.
• Provide traffic enforcement around school sites during morning and after school hours.
• Collaborate with a designated District administrator; each School Resource Officer shall provide training to the Campus Supervision Team and train all District Campus Supervisors in the following procedures;
  • Supervision coverage/beat, to ensure the School Resource Officer is visible on campus during breaks, lunch hour, before and after school.
  • Gang and drug awareness.
  • Group surveillance techniques and strategies.
  • Methods of approaching students and non-students in various situations.
  • Methods of avoiding stereotyping, including race, dress, peer groups, etc.
  • Emergency strategies and procedures.
  • Techniques on how to respond quickly and efficiently while maintaining control of normal responsibilities.
  • Coordination and supervision of athletic events and extracurricular activities.
  • Responding and interacting with the community in an appropriate professional manner (focus on prevention, not reaction).
• In collaboration with the principal, each School Resource Officer shall determine the appropriate number of officers needed at school events and make arrangements with the police department.
• Develop appropriate professional relationships with students; be visible and actively engage with students, including before and after school.
• Only upon the request of the school principal, and the School Resource Officer agrees that the School Resource Officer’s assistance is needed to maintain a safe and proper school environment, will the School Resource Officer be involved in ordinary school discipline. Such situations will only be in situations where it pertains to preventing a potential disruption and/or climate that places students at risk of harm. Disciplining students is a school district’s responsibility.
• The School Resource Officer is first and foremost a law enforcement officer, and the fact must be constantly reinforced.
• Access, protect the confidentiality of, and utilize Education Records only as needed to perform the essential functions of the School Resource Officer classification. As such, the School Resource Officer shall be allowed access to Education Records as noted below.
  • School officials shall allow School Resource Officers to inspect and copy any public records maintained by the school to the extent allowed by law.
  • If some information in a student’s record is needed in an emergency to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals, school officials may disclose to the School Resource Officer that information which is needed to respond to the emergency situation based on the seriousness of the threat to someone’s health and safety; the need of the information to meet the emergency situation and the extent to which time is of the essence.
  • If confidential student record information is needed by a School Resources Officer, but no emergency situation exists, information may be released only as allowed by law.
• Perform miscellaneous duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• All laws and case law affecting the proper usage of those laws as depicted by law enforcement agencies throughout California.
• Education Code.
• Fort Bragg Unified School District Board Policies and Administrative Regulations.
• City ordinances.

Ability to:

• Think clearly and logically, use good judgment, and make quick and appropriate decisions in emergency situations.
• Conduct investigations of reported or observed incidents.
• Detect and preserve evidence at incident scenes.
• Perform patrol of designated areas.
• Accurately gather information from witnesses, suspects, and others by interrogative interviewing.
• Pursue on foot, apprehend, and subdue individuals fleeing on foot or resisting arrest.
• Make arrests and perform booking procedures.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Prepare work-related written reports, citations, and related records.
• Apply proper police procedure in connection with arrests and detentions.
• Remember details such as faces, license plate numbers, names, and incidents.
• Recognize illegal, unsafe, or contraband substances or weapons.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
• Make a timely response to emergency situations.
• Perform vehicular pursuit of people in vehicle or on foot.
• Operate the various types of equipment used on the job.
• Perform traffic control and crowd control functions.
• Perform first aid and CPR procedures.
• Safely use firearms with proficiency, including periodic marksmanship qualification.
• Exercise sound judgment.
• Perform duties during intense interpersonal situations.
• Learn and apply policies, regulations, and applicable law.
• Interact with others with courtesy and respect; understand and follow written instructions, work rules, regulations, and procedures; accept supervision and constructive criticism; and appear for work on time.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Physical Requirements:
Under general supervision, to perform law enforcement and crime prevention work; to control traffic flow and enforce federal, state, county and city ordinances, codes and laws; enforce traffic laws and regulations; perform Community Oriented Policing; investigate crimes and promote peace within the community they serve; and to complete other duties as required.

Employee must:

• Be sufficiently adaptable to accept and perform in a timely and effective manner work assignments that are outside the normal day-to-day routine.
• Maintain courteous, professional and effective working relationships with other City employees and members of the public.