Having armed law enforcement officers monitoring school hallways never sat well with large segments of the population. Guns and schools, many claimed, don't mix. Furthermore, critics of school resource officers (SROs)—the law enforcement officers assigned to protect schools—alleged that officers would be more likely to overreact to disputes that should be handled with a less authoritative touch.

On the other hand, many believe that a trained, armed officer is uniquely qualified to neutralize in-school skirmishes, school shooters, and threats from the outside. For these reasons, several school districts are considering bringing back armed officers in light of rising in-school violence.

The Black Lives Matter Movement Led to the Expulsion of Many In-School Police Officers

Amidst the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, anti-police sentiment combined with legitimate school safety concerns to fuel the expulsion of school resources officers from many schools.

School districts in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Portland, Denver, and California's Bay Area led the movement to remove police officers from schools in 2020. Among the evidence cited for removing officers from schools included viral videos of students being arrested by SROs, research suggesting that students are more likely to face discipline when an SRO is around, and general claims that cops don't make schools safer.

Since removing SROs, many school districts have seen a drastic uptick in violence. School shootings saw a record high in 2022, and 2023 is proving no safer. In response, school districts that suspended or expelled officers (including Denver) are considering asking SROs to return to duty.

While the Data Further Divides Opinions, Schools Are Moving Back to the SRO Model

For every study highlighting the protective benefits of having armed officers on school campuses, another study suggests that these officers may contribute to more problems than resolutions.

For example, research from the RAND Institute found that security personnel were either entirely or partly successful in stopping shootings 85% of the time when on the scene. Real-world anecdotes provide further evidence in favor of SROs. In 2018, school resource officer Mark Dallas saved countless lives when he confronted an active shooter at Dixon High School in Illinois, one of multiple similar cases.

However, other studies and anecdotes suggest downsides to having armed officers on school campuses. Research published by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University associates school resource officers with higher discipline rates, including suspension, expulsion, and police referrals.

While opinions on this sensitive topic will remain divided, the fact remains that school districts are seriously considering implementing or reinstating SROs, and you and your student must be prepared for this likelihood.

The Return of School Resource Officers Is Reason to Know an Attorney-Advisor for Student Defense Issues

By and large, school resource officers aim to protect and serve the students they interact with daily. However, students and parents must also be realistic about data suggesting that SROs increase the likelihood that students in that school will face serious discipline, justifiably or not.

If you or your student face disciplinary issues related to an SRO (or unrelated to an SRO), an attorney from the Lento Law Firm Team will help you resolve the issue as beneficially and quickly as possible. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online.