SHERIFF'S SCHOOL RESOURCE POLICE PROGRAM
The Wicomico County Sheriff’s School Resource Police Division consists of a Sergeant, and eight Deputies whose primary responsibilities are to provided law enforcement service to all public middle and high schools within Wicomico County.
The purpose of the program is to provide a uniformed law enforcement deputy to each middle and high school to work in cooperation with the school’s administrators, students, staff, parents, and community members to:
1. Help maintain a safe and secure environment, which will
be conducive to learning.
2. Promote positive attitudes regarding the police role in society and to
inform students of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.
3. Establish a liaison with school personnel in a cooperative effort to
prevent disruptive or violent behaviors.
4. Promote close working relationships between law enforcement offers,
students and faculty of schools, improve communications & promote
mutual
respect for all parties.
This is the ninth year that the program has assisted the Superintendent of Schools with investigations regarding drugs/weapons, student violence, security, suspension, expulsions, and student appeals.
The Sheriff’s School Resource Police Division acted as advisors to the Alternative Learning Study Group, Hot Spots Program, Weed and Seed Program, C-Safe Program, Mentoring Program and Reality Program. We continue our commitment to provide training for the Board of Education personnel in the areas of drug awareness, juvenile problems, crime prevention and personal safety.
The officers have taken on many tasks such as working closely with the
social studies, health education, and mathematics teachers in customizing
and designing instruction to address
specific law related issues.
In September of 1999,officers began attending the PTA meetings and parent
conferences. Resource officers are now involved in parent conferences at the
schools when a child is
involved in some type of criminal activity. School
Resource Police Officers are very active in the Student Behavior Management
Teams, Booster Clubs, Community Watch Groups, and
with school facilities
committees.
During the course of the year, the school deputies were very active in
assisting the school administration in looking for ways to make the schools
safer. This was done by not allowing outsiders to enter the school grounds
that do not have business in the schools. School Resource Police Deputies
assisted the Board of Education in re-designing a code of emergency system,
which is now uniform for all schools within the county that can be used for
any given emergency. The sergeant is present for monthly meetings with the
Board of Education for safety issues and with the PTA presidents of each
school throughout the county. Deputies have been working with the Board of
Education Truancy Department in assisting in keeping
repeat truant children
in school.
At the beginning of the school year, the deputies also conducted classes
for teachers along with school bus drivers to teach them about the
Sheriff’s School Resource Police Program.
School bus drivers were taught
what to do should they have an emergency or a fight on a school bus.
The Wicomico County Sheriff’s School Resource Police Program has
participated in several activities to ensure the success of the "Hot
Spots Initiative" program at East Salisbury
Elementary.
Participating in the East Salisbury Elementary After School Program
allowed the school deputy to interact positively with approximately 65
elementary school students on a daily basis. Deputies participated in peer
mediation, tutoring, arts & crafts, and physical activities with the
students throughout the operation of the program. The students became
familiar with the deputy. This enables the deputy to
conduct investigations and handle complaints during the school day more
efficiently. This After School program also gives the child and parents the
opportunity to see the deputies as "people" and not always the
"cop that arrests someone".
Parents and numerous community members were able to observe the positive
interaction between the students and the Resource Police Deputy during the
After School Program open
houses. In addition, numerous positive reactions
were noted in reference to the deputy’s presence during the After School
Program.
