The Delaware State Police hosted a 5-day, “Basic School Resource Officer Training” course at Troop 3, Camden on August 13-17, 2018. This course was created and maintained by the “National Association of School Resource Officers” (NASRO).
The NASRO Basic School Resource Officer Course is a forty-hour block of instruction designed for law enforcement officers and school safety professionals working in an educational environment and with school administrators. The course provides tools for officers to build positive relationships with both students and staff.
The course emphasizes three main areas of instructions:
– Function of Law Enforcement – Instruction on the differences between law enforcement when conducted inside a school environment including understanding the teen brain and de-escalation techniques.
– Mentoring Students – Instruction designed to provide tools to be a positive role model for youth, including informal counseling techniques.
– Guest Speaking – Instruction on a variety of instructional techniques as well as classroom management tools to provide law-related education to students.
One of the instructors included, Detective Joey Melvin a School Resource Officer/Public Information Officer with the Georgetown Police Department, stated “It is impressive and encouraging to instruct a class of officers who are dedicated to the mission of creating safe learning environments. By participating in NASRO’s Basic School Resource Officer course, these officers are clearly demonstrating the vigilant culture of law enforcement assigned within Delaware schools.”
Those in attendance gained a solid working knowledge of the School Resource Officer concept and how to establish a lasting partnership with their schools:
– 12 Delaware State Troopers
– 12 Capital School District Constables
– 1 Selbyville Police Officer
– 2 Seaford Police Officers
– 1 Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police
– 1 Polytech School District Constable
– 2 Caroline County Sheriffs
– 2 Chesapeake College Public Safety Officers
– 2 Calvert County Sheriffs
– 2 Talbot County Sheriffs
– 1 Somerset County Sheriff
– 1 West Lampeter Township(PA) Police Officer
– 1 KST Security Consultant
The host of this course, Sergeant Mark A. Gaglione of the Delaware State Police Troop 3 Youth Aid Division, stated, “All law enforcement has recently been trained and continue to retrain on active shooters and school safety. This course teaches that aspect but also how to prevent these incidents by becoming integrated into the school and community. By being ever vigilant and present at schools, we can not only deter violence but be a partner with the community and schools to identify individuals in need of assistance and get them the help they need. Additionally, by interacting with students of all different cultures, backgrounds, and other demographics we can better serve them and hopefully foster a more positive relationship between the community and the police that serve them.”
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~ Delaware State Police