The Alignment Between Community Policing and the Work of School Resource Officers

Abstract

Despite a growing literature showing the ineffectiveness of school resource officers (SROs) for reducing school crime, their use is widespread. Some of this ineffectiveness may arise from SROs’ experiences of role conflict due to their multi-faceted roles and conflicting expectations associated with following two authority structures. Community policing (CP) may offer a unifying perspective that can address some of these barriers. The current study uses data from 119 qualitative interviews with SROs from three U.S. states to examine the extent to which SROs’ activities align with three dimensions of CP: community partnerships, problem-solving, and organizational adaptation. This study finds that SROs’ described activities align well with these dimensions, suggesting that a CP framework may be a strong model for organizing and describing the work of SROs. This framework can be viewed as an initial proof of concept, and research may elaborate on the framework and assess its utility.

Recommending Reform: A Critical Race and Critical Policy Analysis of Research Recommendations About School Resource Officers

“…Although most majoritarian recommendations addressed role definition and/or training, there were other types of majoritarian recommendations, including recommendations to increase transparency of the work of SROs and school police (Anfara & Theriot, 2011; Coon & Travis, 2012; Daniels et al, 2011; Eklund et al, 2018; Ghavami et al, 2021; Sullivan & Hausman, 2017); to address criteria by which officers are selected to work in schools (Fisher & Devlin, 2020; Granot et al, 2021; May et al, 2012; Zirkel, 2019); and to change the way SRO job performance, satisfaction, and evaluations are measured (Fisher et al, 2022; Kelly & Swezey, 2015; Stinson & Watkins, 2014). As with role definitions and training, these recommendations for transparency, hiring, and evaluation were usually made in response to identified negative impacts of SROs and demonstrated crafting recommendations for improving shortcomings of officers rather than ending their use altogether.…”

“…The types of recommended trainings differed across articles. One common type of training suggested was anti-bias training for police in schools (Espelage et al, 2020; Fisher et al, 2022; Forber-Pratt et al, 2021; Homer & Fisher, 2020; Jennings et al, 2011; Wolfe et al, 2017). This training was often recommended in response to criticism that referrals to law enforcement and discipline actions were distributed unequally based on race.…”

“…For example, Forber-Pratt et al (2021) cite in block quote from another author who strongly endorsed removing police from schools, but they did not suggest it themselves. Similarly, Fisher et al (2022) included recommendations “For those who embrace a reform perspective,” but do not make it clear from what perspective they are operating themselves as authors. We see this as a strategy authors use to potentialy suggest a more critical rec-ommendation while deflecting position-taking themselves.…”