Tracking Safety Officer Mandates

There have been a lot of discussions lately around introducing additional school resource officers (SROs) as a way to prevent and respond to school violence. Those in favor argue the extra security deters potential threats while those opposed point out past issues of profiling and wrongful arrests.

Take a look at some recent state laws put in place involving increasing the number of SROs and some recent studies examining their effectiveness.

• Arizona

  Senate Bill 1259, which was introduced in February 2023, would require all public schools in Arizona to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• Florida

  House Bill 1421, which was introduced in January 2023, would require all public schools in Florida to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• Georgia

  House Bill 1077, which was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on April 26, 2023, requires all public schools in Georgia to have a school safety plan that includes the presence of an armed security officer or a designated school safety officer.

• Indiana

  House Bill 1447, which was signed into law by Governor Eric Holcomb on March 8, 2023, requires all public schools in Indiana to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• Missouri

  House Bill 1814, which was signed into law by Governor Mike Parson on May 12, 2023, requires all public schools in Missouri to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• South Carolina

  House Bill 3679, which was signed into law by Governor Henry McMaster on May 10, 2023, requires all public schools in South Carolina to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• Tennessee

  Senate Bill 1185, which was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee on May 10, 2023, requires all public schools in Tennessee to have a school resource officer (SRO) or a designated school safety officer.

• Texas

  House Bill 3, which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 27, 2023, requires every public school in Texas to have at least one armed security officer or a licensed school employee carrying a firearm.

Studies examining the effectiveness of school resource officers:

The Rand Corporation Study - Found SROs can have a positive impact on school safety, but there can be potential downsides as well.

The University of Chicago Study - Found SROs have little to no impact on safety.

The National Institute of Justice Safety Study - Found proper training and supervision are crucial to the effectiveness of SROs.

“School Resource Officers: A Review of the Evidence” (2021, National Education Policy Center) - The study found that SROs have a mixture of positive and negative impacts on school safety.