School Resource Officers
The School Resource Officer (SRO) program was established in 1985 as the Youth Action Center (YAC) program with the assistance of a Criminal Justice Division grant. One officer was assigned to each of the three high schools and one officer to every two middle schools for a total of 6 officers. Enrollment for the Irving Independent School District in 1985 was slightly over 20,000 students.
In 1993, enrollment in the IISD had grown to almost 25,000 students and the SRO program expanded to include seven additional officers and a sergeant. There are also three officers assigned to alternative education campuses and three more officers dedicated to elementary school and early childhood developmental center safety programs.
Currently, there are 18 SRO’s providing law enforcement services to approximately 32,000 IISD students and approximately 4000 CFB ISD students.
The scope of the SRO program reaches far beyond just the IISD. The City of Irving now has schools from other districts such as Carrollton/Farmers Branch, Coppell and State Charter schools as well as the many private and parochial schools. While an officer’s primary duty will always be dealing with individuals who break the law, the SRO program attempts to break stereotypes or negative perceptions of police officers in the eyes of the students. The SRO’s want to be positive role models and let the students know that they are there to help them through any difficult period in their lives.
The SRO position serves as a liaison between the Police Department, the school districts and the numerous other agencies involved in the juvenile justice system. SRO’s participate as resources in the classroom, campus and community to educate students, parents and school personnel on various topics. They also coordinate a variety of programs such as Police Explorers, Campus Crime Stoppers and PRIDE as well as providing assistance to neighborhood merchants and residents regarding school or student related issues.
During extended school breaks, SRO’s provide other valuable services, most of which are directed at helping kids. School Resource Officers work with kids at the Police Athletic League building and interact with them at the recreation centers and the police Neighborhood Contact Trailer. Retail areas such as Irving Mall tend to attract young people so the SRO’s try to be as visible as possible at these locations to not only deter crime but to give the young people a sense of security by providing a familiar face to protect them while they are away from home.
All of our SRO's have been trained as Police Bicycle Officers and each has also been trained by and are members of the National Association of School Resource Officers (N.A.S.R.O.).
If you have; a problem to be solved; a question that can be answered by a School Resource Officer; or you would like more information on the SRO program, please feel free to contact any SRO at any IISD secondary school or call the Community Services Division of the Irving Police Department at 972-721-2544.
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