Denver police host roundtable discussion with SROs before start of school year
The Denver Police Department hosted a roundtable with School Resource Officers to discuss the return of SROs in schools in the new year.
The Denver Police Department looks to maintain the same number of SROs as in the previous 2022-2023 school year, with one officer assigned to each location. East High School, being the largest high school, will have two SROs.
- East High School (2 SROs)
- West High School
- North High School
- South High School
- Manual High School
- Thomas Jefferson High School
- George Washington High School
- Abraham Lincoln High School
- John F. Kennedy High School
- Montbello High School
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College
- Northfield High School
- Evie Dennis Campus
According to Police Chief Ron Thomas, SROs have recently completed the 40-hour National Association School Resource Officers Basic training, which fulfills Colorado POST training requirements. Moreover, they have received other training that is beneficial for their work in schools, including de-escalation techniques, effective communication with youth, conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and a well-defined decision-making model.
Denver Police Chief Thomas said SROs will not be involved in school discipline situations, and officers will have the option, when appropriate, to utilize alternatives to citations when addressing student-related crimes.
Thomas has committed to providing SROs for the upcoming school year without reimbursement from DPS. He firmly believes that the SRO program enhances school and student safety while fostering improved relationships between youth and law enforcement.
Despite the change, some organizations remain undecided about having armed officers on school grounds.
SROs were temporarily back in schools, despite a 2020 ban, following a student shooting two administrators in March at East High School.
"I really don't believe that they are the end-all, be-all to safety, just a layer and component of safety. I think the schools need to take additional steps to safety," said Thomas.
In 2020, SROs were removed due to equity concerns and claims that police presence contributed to the "school-to-prison" pipeline, disproportionately affecting students of color. The program now aims to handle situations with greater awareness.
"We have a significant amount of training as it relates to cultural competency and understanding of peoples' lived experiences and racial cultural differences," said Thomas.
Though some organizations believe this is insufficient. Movimiento Poder, an organization that played a huge role in the removal of SROs in schools feels this is undoing all their work and what they stand for.
"40 hours of training is not what we were looking for; it's not what is needed. What is needed is healthy schools and access to mental health," said Oscar Juarez, spokesperson for Movimiento Poder.
According to Thomas, he hopes SROs will serve as mentors for students and that they can build relationships with the students. School Resource Officer of over 30 years, Tim Cueva agrees.
"You need to make yourself available to anyone, take your time, work at a slower pace, and find the root cause of the problem," said Cueva.
A concerned parent, Victor Bencomo, who is also running for House District 8 was conflicted at first, but believes this approach will help their child feel safer at school.
"I believe it is a good preventive measure for us to have some confidence that our children are safe, however we need to have transparency to make sure that the safety plan is indeed working" said Bencomo.
According to DPS, over 300 students were assessed for threats this year, with 68 deemed high-level threats. The implementation of SROs aims to provide safety and understanding.
ALTERNATIVES TO CITATIONS: A significant program this year that the SRO program looks to implement is a three-day cool-down period for situations like high school fights. This grace period allows families to discuss the situation with SROs before pressing charges.
AARON SANCHEZ/DIVISION CHIEF OF PATROL: "Citations provide opportunities to cool down and refocus."
POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT: SROs and Thomas discussed the reintroduction of SROs to schools. They emphasized that School Resource Officers are there for positive engagement with students.
MARIJUANA POSSESSION: Thomas noted that a significant number of tickets written in the past were for marijuana possession. SROs are mainly present to engage positively with students.
TRUSTED ADULTS: During the press conference it was clear, they want SROs serve as trusted adults for students and are seen as a component of safety, providing an additional layer.
SCHOOL BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION: The School Board and administration are involved in decisions regarding SRO presence. If a student feels that SRO at their school isn't a good fit, they can voice concerns with administrators and can ask for a different SRO.
CONCERNS ABOUT DANGER: Some critics argue that SROs can pose dangers, which is why they oppose their presence in schools.
