McClure, HeatherKelly, Juliana2024-08-072024-08-072024-08-07https://hdl.handle.net/1794/29754Title: The Perceptions of Staff and Families on the Role of a School Resource Officer in Schools and What Steps Administrators Can Take to Support In a world full of divided opinions and experiences with law enforcement, school districts are struggling to decide whether to employ a School Resource Officer (SRO). There is history of the integration of police in schools in response to a growing need for safety in schools related, in part, to the rise of school shootings. The tension surrounding whether or not to hire an SRO has become more apparent since the death of George Floyd, which occurred in 2020, at a time when schools were shut down due to the pandemic. A School Resource Officer is typically a uniformed member of law enforcement, paid for by the school district and the police department. There is minimal research conducted about the role, purpose, and impact of an SRO, as well as minimal guidance on undersanding the context and needs of a school district and their local community, when making a decision around this role. A mixed methods study involving 303 survey participants and 25 interview participants of diverse roles, races, and ethnicities was conducted. Survey findings identified that there is value in the role of SRO, but a need for more clarity and communication around the specific duties and presentation (e.g., what they wear and whether they are armed), with significant differences in support for SROs identified by gender and primary role (e.g., parent vs school staff). Semi-structured interviews extended survey findings by revealing that depending on the community, there may be a need to build trust and relationship in this role prior to consideration of hiring, or potentially with a current hire. It was clear throughout the study that finding the right candidate for the role is vital to the success of an SRO. Mixed methods results had implications for guidance for school districts’ decision making around whether and how best to integrate School Resource Officers into school communities.en-USAll Rights Reserved.EducationGuidanceLaw enforcementPerceptionsSchool Resource OfficerSchool SafetyElectronic Thesis or Dissertation