Police Department
School Resource Officers
The Salinas Police Department has utilized police officers as School Resource Officers (S.R.O.) for the past twenty-four years. When the program was first launched in the late 1970's; there were two police officers assigned full-time as School Resource Officers. They wore plain clothes and their mission was to foster an understanding between students and the police.
Today, the mission of the S.R.O. unit has changed to meet the challenges of an ever-changing school environment. The Salinas Police Department’s S.R.O. unit provides police services to three school districts, which include: 4 high schools, 3 middle schools, and 24 elementary schools with a total population estimated at 28,000 students.
On January 10, 2000, the S.R.O. unit expanded to 10 full-time police officers and one full-time sergeant. The intent of the revitalized School Resource Officer program is to:
- Improve the image of the police among students.
- Increase communication between police, students, school staff, and the community.
- Lessen campus tensions via direct police interaction.
- Provide an opportunity for the police to make presentations to students and parents.
- Allow time for police-youth counseling and diversion (recommending or scheduling youths and parents to other supporting agencies).
- Allow for police officers (SRO) to teach the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) curriculum in the elementary schools.
The overall mission of the School Resource Officers unit will always remain the same; to provide a safe learning environment for everyone attending public schools in the City of Salinas.
