A School Resource Officer (SRO) is a certified law enforcement officer who is permanently assigned to provide coverage to a school. They patrol and provide a policing function, they are proactive and attempt to solve problems, and they act in partnership with the school community. Newberry County Sheriff's Office SROs offer proactive strategies to enhance protective factors for young people. The intent is that the positive experiences students have with the SRO will bridge the gap between juveniles and law enforcement, and in doing so, help prevent juvenile crime.
The School Resource Officers emphasizes early intervention in the lives of youth who are at risk. The team includes 1 lieutenant and 5 deputies serving as school resource officers. The goal is to redirect negative behavior before it lands a student in the court system. These officers are assigned to specific school to cover with a full-time officer assigned at each high school. The officers work with school administrators and on security and safety issues and investigate crimes in which students are victims or suspects. They are also available for conferences with students, parents and faculty.
The SROs provide information and advice to students concerning subjects about which they have expertise. They are familiar, for example, with the workings of the juvenile court system and can provide guidance about processes and services. They can offer suggestions about programs that might be available. As certified law enforcement officers, SROs draw upon their expertise about the law. They provide resources which can be drawn upon to teach young people about the law to educate students about rights and responsibilities. They can it make clear that student responsibilities are associated with the rights we all enjoy as citizens living in this democracy.
Some of the duties of the School Resource Officers include but is not limited to:
- To prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact with students and school personnel
- To establish liaison with school principals, faculty, and students
- To inform the students of their rights and responsibilities as lawful citizens
- To provide liaison between students and social agencies which provide needed services
- To act as a liaison resource to the principal in investigating criminal violations occurring in the school or on school property
- To participate in campus activities, student organizations, and athletic events when invited and feasible
- To be aware at all times of the responsibility to improve the image of the uniformed law enforcement officer in the eyes of the students and the community
We are very fortunate to have a strong relationship with the educators of Newberry County and the SROs work hand in hand with the Newberry County School District. Together, the School District and the Sheriff’s Office are working constantly to provide students with the safest learning environment in which they can receive a quality education.
To contact the School Resource Officer Division, you may email Captain Ben Chapman at bchapman@ncso.sc.gov or call the Newberry County Sheriff's Office at (803) 321-2211.