A Sunday News Tribune headline on a story about school resource officers asked: "Threat or security?"
Our answer: security.
School resource officers provide the type of community policing we've long advocated.
In the wake of the death of George Floyd, civil unrest and calls to defund police, some school boards across the U.S. have questioned the value of SROs.
One consideration for schools determining the value of SROs is minority communities, which sometimes feel more threatened than protected by SROs and law enforcement in general.
As we reported Sunday, school resource officers, who can arrest and use force on students, have disproportionately targeted low-income Black and brown students, LGBTQ students and students with disabilities, according to the Institute for Policy Studies report.
Schools need to be aware of this and listen to concerns, while also communicating with school families specifically what roles the SROs have and do not have within the schools.
An SRO requires a special touch above and beyond normal policing. It requires a person who can build relationships and trust with students, while also monitoring them at the same time to ward off potential problems.
At least here in Jefferson City, the only real problem we could foresee with SROs is if the wrong person was hired for the job. Fortunately, we've seen a lot of good law enforcement officers who were ideal for the job, starting with Greg White. Before becoming sheriff, White was a Jefferson City police officer and SRO.
Their presence alone can go a long way toward curbing unruly behavior or making a regrettable spur-of-the-moment decision.
Most area schools agree with our assessment that SROs provide more benefits than disadvantages.
As we reported Sunday, Blair Oaks R-2 School District Superintendent Jim Jones said he used to believe the need for police in the schools could be a sign of weakness and an indication the school is in poor condition.
Over the years, his viewpoint changed, and he now believes students feel safer when a school resource officer is on campus.
"I have since changed my viewpoint from a sign of weakness to a sign of strength," he said. "Learning can only occur when students feel safe in their environment. A school resource officer cannot stop all acts that may go on in a school, but they can relieve the anxiety that exists when they are not present."
We thank those who have served our schools as SROs, and we urge the Jefferson City Board of Education to keep these valued officers in our schools.
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