School Resource Officer

Position Title: School Resource Officer

Department: District Administration

Reports To: Superintendent/Designee

Evaluated By: Superintendent/Designee

Contact Information: Zane Vanderpool, Superintendent at zane.vanderpool@ozarkhillbillies.org

SUMMARY: 

Provide general law enforcement leadership and services to Ozark School District~~Included but not limited to investigation of crimes committed on its various campuses, as well as investigating any traffic accidents which may occur on school property. 

The mission of the School Resource Officer program is to promote school safety by establishing a safe, supportive, and orderly environment that maximizes collaboration for the enhancement of student learning and success. 

SALARY: Comparable to local Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), annually. Eligible for Arkansas Teacher Retirement or LOPFI. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the District and the Franklin County Sheriff Department. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (Other duties as assigned. Refer to MOU.) 

Serve at Grades 8-12 school campus, primarily, all campuses as needed.

Patrolling the campus by vehicle if necessary but primarily on foot to reduce/prevent crime and help to provide a safe and secure learning environment.

Serving as an educational resource, and as a liaison between the school and the law enforcement agency.

Developing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships with students and staff to support   a positive school climate.

Preparing for and providing classroom instruction on a variety of relevant topics.

Being proactive in creating and taking advantage of educational  situations. (Note: school administrators are encouraged to leverage this resource.)

Preparing initial police reports of crimes committed on campus.

Taking enforcement action on criminal matters involving students, when appropriate.

Attending school special events, extracurricular events, graduation ceremonies, other duties as assigned.

Collecting and maintaining data on SRO activities (arrests, citations, educational programs, etc.)

Assisting the school safety coordinator or designated staff member in developing emergency  response plans as well as strategies (such as training students and staff) to prevent and/or minimize dangerous events, such as an armed person(s) or active shooter on campus, hostage situations, student disturbances, and natural/man-made disasters.

Taking appropriate law enforcement action against individuals or unwanted guests who are at the school or a school function in accordance with the SRO’s law enforcement authority.

CHAIN OF COMMAND: 

A SRO shall be assigned to a school during the instructional day. During the hours that school is in regular session, the SRO may also be assigned additional responsibilities by the law enforcement agency in emergency type/critical incident situations that may require the SRO to leave campus. The law enforcement agency recognizes that removing an officer from the school campus causes difficulty in the school and will only do so when absolutely needed.

The SRO operates under the supervision of the law enforcement agency. When a situation arises within the school that is determined to be criminal in nature, the SRO will notify his/her law enforcement agency supervisor and school administration. 

Minor offenses committed on school property can and often should be handled internally within the school without filing criminal charges. Each situation will have unique factors to consider. The SRO shall consult with a member of the school administration (superintendent or principal) concerning these types of offenses.  Offenses, such as fighting or using vulgar language, that do not involve serious physical injury shall be considered school discipline issues and handled internally by school officials rather than law enforcement.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: 

The SRO shall complete:

1)   The forty (40) hour Basic School Resource Officer course within eighteen (18) months of being assigned to the public school district/open enrollment charter school. This course must be developed and provided, or approved, by the Arkansas Center for School Safety.

2)   Within five (5) years of receiving the initial Basic School Resource Officer training, a sixteen (16) hour School Resource Officer Refresher training developed and provided, or approved, by the Arkansas Center for School Safety.

3)   Certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid, which must be maintained and renewed every four (4) years if the SRO remains assigned to a school district/open enrollment charter school.

4)   Twelve (12) hours annually of public school-specific continuing education developed and provided, or approved, by the Arkansas Center for School Safety. Other training required shall include, without limitation:

•         the roles and responsibilities of school resource officers in school districts/open enrollment charter schools;
•         laws that are specific to school districts/open enrollment charter schools; and
•         adolescent behavior and development.

5)   A SRO who fails to complete any required training shall be unable to serve as a SRO until the training is completed.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: 

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from stakeholders. 

REASONING ABILITY: 

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds such as books and teaching material. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The ability to travel to other buildings is required. The position requires the individual to sometimes work irregular or extended work hours and meet multiple demands from several people and execute any duties and responsibilities commensurate with Law Enforcement training and expectations. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individual currently holding this position and further responsibilities may be assigned.