Trauma-Informed Approach to Assessing the Creation, Organization and Utility of School Resource (Liaison) Officer Programs

These guidelines were developed to assist school boards, school district/division leaders, and police leaders in collaboration with the broader school community (students, parents and caregivers), as well as community leaders, to plan for a trauma-informed assessment of School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs. In particular, they were created to openly address the traumatic impact of systemic racism and offer a process that can compassionately foster truth telling and the beginnings of systemic change.

File: PDF Version Trauma-Informed Approach to Assessing the Creation, Organization and Utility of School Resource (Liaison) Officer Programs

Overview

These guidelines were developed to assist school boards, school district/division leaders, and police leaders in collaboration with the broader school community (students, parents and caregivers), as well as community leaders, to plan for a trauma-informed assessment of School Resource Officer (SRO) Programs. In particular, they were created to openly address the traumatic impact of systemic racism and offer a process that can compassionately foster truth telling and the beginnings of systemic change.

Additionally, inside these guidelines is a powerful description of our “Current Context” and a “Recommended Five Phase Process” for a structured trauma-informed assessment along with a comprehensive template for a more modern MOU between school jurisdictions and police services. We also present a new “Multi-Tiered Consideration for School-Police-Community Programing” specifically related to supporting racialized and marginalized communities.