National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day — Thank you for your service, SROs

School Resource Officer (SRO) Appreciation Day will be observed on Sunday, Feb. 15. Established in 2022, the annual observance honors SROs who build trust between law enforcement and young people and work daily to protect students, teachers and staff.

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) encourages schools and communities to recognize the valuable service these officers provide.

The date of Feb. 15 was chosen because it falls during the traditional academic year and marks the birthday of Archie Hodge, the only NASRO founding member still active on the organization’s board of directors. Hodge, a retired law enforcement officer from Jackson, Mississippi, served as an SRO for 22 years before retiring in 2006.

Current SROs include John Garner at the Hancock County Middle and High School campus, Russ Day at South Hancock Elementary and John Marvel at North Hancock Elementary.

A single day of recognition each year is not enough to honor the officers who protect our schools. These officers keep our children safe, stand ready to guard them at any moment and willingly risk their own lives to do so.

Their families sacrifice alongside them, never knowing when their loved one may face danger or whether they will return home at the end of the day. Their presence gives parents and caregivers as well as the families of teachers and staff peace of mind, knowing that SROs are serving in our schools.

SRO Appreciation Day is celebrated at each of Hancock County’s schools during the school week with activities and gifts of cards, food and other goodies.

The proclamation notes that the NASRO is dedicated to making schools and children safer by providing high-quality training to school-based law enforcement officers. It states that SROs bridge gaps between youth and law enforcement by following a triad model of school policing in which they serve in informal counseling, education and law enforcement roles to support students and their communities.

The document describes SRO programs around the world as collaborative efforts by police agencies, school staff, students, parents and communities to create safe learning environments, support educators, build positive relationships with students and address problems that affect young people so all children can reach their potential.

It states that SROs are essential members of the educational community who deserve strong public support for their work to keep schools and students safe. The proclamation encourages citizens to show their gratitude through visible displays of support and personal messages.

The contract for SROs with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department was approved by the Hancock County Board of Education in 2022, following passage of a state law in the General Assembly.

The Board of Education applied for a Community Oriented Policing Services Grant to secure additional funding for an SRO at each school rather than only at each campus. The district’s goal is full coverage at all schools.
SROs complete additional training each year with other SROs from the regional school districts, including the full-day Active Shooter Threat Response Training (ASTR). The state-mandated SRO training, aside from additional programs like ASTR, is a three-phase process completed over two to three years.

Mandated training is provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Training on the EKU Campus in Richmond. Additional training is made possible with assistance from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.