School Resource Officers
Focusing on Student Safety
In July of 2018, the Fairfax County School Board approved a revised Memorandum of Understanding between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) for the School Resource Officer (SRO) program.
View the Memorandum of Understanding
The updated agreement was signed in the Fall of 2018SRO Roles and Responsibilities
SROs are school officials and will be considered an active member of their assigned school's community. The SRO will assist with matters related to safety, security, and the exchange of information while providing law enforcement services.
SROs shall not become involved in routine school matters such as administrative actions or actions not directly related to the safety of the students and staff. The SRO shall refrain from functioning as a school disciplinarian and shall not intervene in school discipline matters. The discipline of students will remain the responsibility of the school faculty and administrators. At any time, the SRO may become involved when a school administrator has a safety concern that cannot be addressed by the school's safety and security staff. As a general practice, unless there is a clear and imminent threat to safety, requests from school staff for SRO or other law enforcement assistance are to be channeled through a school administrator.
SROs' duty schedules should be organized to provide coverage throughout the school day, which may vary by school. SROs provide a visible deterrent to crime and shall be visible patrolling the exterior and interior grounds. The SRO shall wear the regulation uniform and operate a marked police vehicle while on duty unless otheMise authorized by the SRO's supervisor for a specific purpose.
Additionally, SROs shall assist school administrators in developing school crisis, emergency management, and response plans. They will work with administrators in problem-solving to prevent crime and promote safety in the school environment. SROs are expected to collaborate with school administrators and other school personnel to support positive school climates that focus on resolving conflicts, reducing student engagement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and diverting youth from courts when possible.
SROs serve multiple roles in schools. The roles are interrelated but all are carried out with the aim to contribute to school safety and security and to promote positive and supportive school climates.