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What does it mean to be a School Resource Officer? You are the visible face of authority to both the students and the staff. You wear the uniform and carry a gun, but sometimes all you can do is listen until it becomes a law enforcement problem. You are also a first responder when defending your school from violent attacks. Sometimes you have to act because it is too late to talk. I heard about a School Resource Officer who spoke up at a school board meeting, and what he said speaks for most of us.
I wear a uniform on campus. Everyone knows who I am, and they can identify me from a long way away. If the school is attacked, then I’m probably the first person the attacker is going to shoot. I’ll probably survive, at least for a little while. I’ll fight back if I can. We have a security team on campus. I hope you keep the security team in place, but the day you disband the security team will be my last day at school.
I don’t want to die, but I’m willing to get shot if it means the school is protected. If somebody is shooting me, then that means the rest of the school is alerted to an attack. With that warning, the other defenders can protect the kids. If I haven’t stopped the murderer, then I know the other defenders will. Maybe they will save me, but the only thing that makes getting shot worthwhile is knowing that the kids will be safe if I’m attacked.
It is my job to walk toward the sound of gunfire. The other people on the safety team, they chose to walk toward the gunfire. They are committed to protecting the kids like I am. If you cancel the safety team, then you’re not committed to saving lives and I’m not willing only be a symbol that makes you feel better. It doesn’t make sense for me to get shot, and maybe get killed, if there isn’t someone there behind me to finish the job of protecting the rest of the school.
YEP!
