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Lieutenant N.S. Harrell - Unit Commander
910-798-4227 Main 910-798-4230 FAX |
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New Hanover County expanded their School Resource Officer (SRO) program in 1997. This project has been very successful. As of now, we have 20 full time SROs. The purpose of the School Resource Officer is to be a peace officer by maintaining security and order on campus with the legal authority to arrest if required. The SRO is a resource officer in areas of Law Enforcement Education that can be applied to the classroom. When asked, the SRO develops various classroom presentations on a variety of subjects from substance abuse, youth and violence, gangs, motor vehicle law and safe driving, juvenile law, etc. and is available to the faculty of their school to address student classrooms when requested.
Finally, the SRO can and does play the role as counselor, by mediating, listening and assisting students with various problems. This approach enables the SRO to be a positive Law Enforcement role model and use proactive prevention by exposing the human qualities of law enforcement to our youth and giving them a trustworthy friend to depend on.
During the summer, SROs participate in the ‘S.A.F.E. Summer Program’. In this program, the SROs work hand-in-hand with rising 6th grade students who graduated the Elementary D.A.R.E. Program to show them how to have a fun summer without drugs and violence. It gives the students an opportunity to interact and have fun with the Deputies on a casual basis, creating a greater bond between them and law enforcement.
During Christmas time, the SRO Unit does a program called ‘Make a Child Smile’. We ask teachers from our elementary schools for the names of needy children. One night close to Christmas, we invite the selected children and their families to join us. We provide refreshments and soon after everyone finishes, Santa arrives! He always brings his favorite book “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to read to the children. After this, Santa calls each child up one at a time and presents them with a very special Christmas gift.
Both Make a Child Smile and S.A.F.E. Summer are made possible through donations, the hard work of the SROs and the support of Sheriff Causey.
If you have any questions about the SRO Unit or would like to donate to Make a Child Smile or S.A.F.E. Summer, please contact us at 910-798-4227 or 910-798-4226.
Here are some related web sites that may be of interest:New Hanover County Schools - Home Page Center for the Prevention of School Violence |
