Organization:

School Resource Officers

The Harnett County Sheriff's Office has twenty-two School Resource Officers (SRO's) positions. An SRO is located at each high school, middle school and elementary school in Harnett County. The School Resource Officer program is a nationally accepted program involving the placement of a law enforcement officer within the schools. The officer, while in school, is involved in a variety of functions. Besides being an active high-profile law enforcement officer, the SRO is a resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators regarding law issues. In addition, SRO's also staff after-school events. Another duty for the SRO is being a link to other service agencies that provide preventive and counseling services within the school district. Working with the Principal in each school, the SRO assists with finding solutions to problems affecting school age children. The situations that exist in our communities also exist within our schools. Harnett County believes that SRO's are the school's first line of defense against violence, drugs, and alcohol. In the past, schools and law enforcement officials did not interact unless one called the other. With the SRO program in place, both law enforcement and school administration work together to improve our schools. The SRO program succeeds in Harnett County because every day the deputies that are in the schools make it their goal to provide a safe and secure learning environment.