School Resource Officers

(SRO)

Detective James Ward

Holliston High School

 

Officer Dave Gatchell

Elementary & Middle Schools

 

Holliston Police Department

100 Linden Street

Holliston, MA  01746

(508)429-1212

A school resource officer is a certified law enforcement officer who is permanently assigned to provide coverage to a school or a set of schools. The SRO is specifically trained to perform three roles:

                          1.     law enforcement officer

                          2.     law-related counselor

                          3.     law-related education teacher

The SRO is not necessarily a DARE officer (although many have received such training), security guard, or officer who has been placed temporarily in a school in response to a crisis situation, but rather acts as a comprehensive resource for his/her school.

The SRO's have several duties at their schools, but their primary objectives are to protect the school, staff and students, prevent drug and alcohol abuse, and to prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact with students and school personnel. The SRO's investigate delinquent acts within the school system and crimes within the community that are school related. The SRO's are also responsible to improve the image of the uniformed law enforcement officer in the eyes of the students and community.