School Resource Officer (SRO) programs exist throughout the United States. In 1994, the Golden Police Department and the Jefferson County R-1 School District coordinated efforts to start an S.R.O. program, beginning in Golden High School. The S.R.O. is selected in conjunction with the administration of the high school.

Golden Police S.R.O.s are trained by the National Association of School Resource Officers and receive additional training, both in and out of the department to keep up on necessary skills.

Why do we have police officers in our schools?

The S.R.O. program is not a response to increased violence in our schools. The Golden Police Department and the R-1 School District have taken a proactive step to ensure your schools remain safe. The officers assume three roles within the school community.

• Teacher – School Resource Officers provide a variety of educational opportunities to the school community. Officers present law-related classes to students, faculty, staff and parents. Officers are available to speak to classes and parent groups, and often provide information on an individual basis.
• Counselor – School Resource Officers provide informal counseling to students and parents. This counseling can range from mediation of student problems to guiding students and parents to appropriate resources. SROs work closely with school counselors to ensure students have access to all available resources.
• Police Officer– School Resource Officers provide a positive law enforcement presence in the school community. Uniformed officers are a deterrence to violence, gang activity, vandalism and theft, and act as a positive role model to students. Officers investigate crimes that involve the school district, students or staff and work closely with administrators as a liaison between the school district and the Golden Police Department.

The Golden Police Department is committed to the concept of Community Policing. This concept requires that we take a proactive stance to ensure our community remains an excellent place to raise our children. By providing law-related education to students, we equip them with the ability to make responsible, informed decisions. By providing an officer for students to contact if they have questions or need help, we promote a positive relationship between teens and law enforcement.