The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) partners with the nation’s state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement agencies to support community policing via award funding, virtual and in person training, and technical assistance. Through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP) and other competitive grant awards, the office has awarded funding to local law enforcement agencies to hire school resource officers (SROs) nationwide. Currently, for all SROs funded via the CHP program, the COPS Office requires mandatory SRO training, the implementation of memoranda of understanding (MOU) between law enforcement and school districts, and the agreement that SROs will not be involved in school disciplinary matters. The COPS Office also continues to review the latest research on SRO programs in its ongoing effort to promote best practices for the field. This document puts forth a set of guiding principles and considerations based on best practices to govern the COPS Office’s work related to SROs and school-based policing.
