National Association of School Resource Officers

National Association of School Resource Officers
Name	National Association of School Resource Officers
Abbreviation	NASRO
Formation	1995
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Houston, Texas
Region served	United States
Membership	Law enforcement officers, school security personnel, administrators
Leader title	Executive Director

National Association of School Resource Officers is a professional association focused on school safety and the role of law enforcement in K–12 environments. It brings together practitioners from law enforcement agencies, school districts, and allied organizations to develop practice standards, training, and resources. The association interacts with federal agencies, state legislatures, and educational institutions to influence policy and practice.

History

The organization was founded in 1995 amid debates following incidents such as the Columbine High School massacre, the Oklahoma City bombing, and rising concerns about school safety after events including the Bath School disaster and the Jonestown tragedy. Early collaboration involved stakeholders from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Founding participants included representatives from municipal agencies such as the Los Angeles Police Department, the New York City Police Department, the Chicago Police Department, and state police organizations like the Texas Department of Public Safety and the California Highway Patrol. Over time the association engaged with national advocacy groups including the National PTA, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Fraternal Order of Police, and academic centers such as the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to shape programs. Major milestones included partnerships with federal programs such as the COPS Office and participation in commissions that responded to incidents including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and policy reviews after the Virginia Tech shooting.

Mission and Objectives

The association’s stated mission aligns with objectives promoted by organizations like the National School Boards Association, the Council of the Great City Schools, and the National Association of School Psychologists: to enhance safety and foster positive relationships among officers, students, and school personnel. Core objectives include developing model programs akin to initiatives advanced by the U.S. Department of Justice, promoting best practices reflected in guidance from the National Institute of Justice, and supporting compliance with statutes such as the Gun-Free Schools Act and state-level codes promulgated by bodies like the Texas Education Agency and the California Department of Education. The association collaborates with legal entities including the American Bar Association and policy researchers at the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute to balance enforcement, prevention, and student rights represented by groups such as the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Membership and Governance

Membership draws from practitioners in agencies like the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Houston Police Department, and county sheriffs' offices such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Institutional affiliates include school districts such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Chicago Public Schools, and the New York City Department of Education, as well as higher education partners like University of Texas at Austin and Columbia University. Governance follows nonprofit models common to organizations including the American Society of Association Executives with an elected board of directors representing regions used by groups like the Boy Scouts of America and committees patterned after those in the National Governors Association. The association’s bylaws incorporate standards referenced by entities such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and accreditation frameworks similar to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Training and Certification Programs

Training curricula reflect inputs from the FBI National Academy, the United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, and the National Tactical Officers Association. Courses address topics covered by the National Incident Management System, evidence-based practices promoted by the National Institute of Justice, juvenile justice guidance from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and mental health frameworks advanced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Certification processes mirror credential systems like those of the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Association for Identification, and incorporate scenario-based exercises used by academies such as the Los Angeles Police Academy and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.

Initiatives and Publications

The association publishes guides, position statements, and model memoranda of understanding similar to materials produced by the National Association of School Boards, the National School Safety and Security Services, and research centers like the RAND Corporation. Initiatives have included school threat assessment protocols influenced by the Secret Service’s Safe School Initiative, multidisciplinary teams modeled after programs in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and collaborative projects with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for School Mental Health. The organization’s journals, white papers, and conference proceedings often cite work from scholars at Stanford University, University of Michigan, Yale University, and policy analyses by think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Center for American Progress.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics from advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the ACLU of Northern California have raised concerns about the expansion of law enforcement in schools, citing research from institutions like University of Chicago and the Sentencing Project that links policing to escalation of disciplinary actions. Controversies have involved debates with organizations such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers over resource allocation in districts like Baltimore City Public Schools and Detroit Public Schools Community District. Legal challenges and legislative scrutiny have occurred in contexts involving state legislatures in California, New York (state), and Florida, and reviews by oversight bodies including the United States Commission on Civil Rights and civil rights litigators from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Category:Law enforcement organizations in the United States