Austin offers amendment in support of school resource officers

INDIANAPOLIS - State Rep. Terri Austin (D-Anderson) today offered a proposal that would allow the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to determine how many school districts are currently served by School Resource Officers (SROs).

The amendment would create a School Resource Officer Report that requires school corporations and charter schools to annually report the number of SROs serving the school corporation to DHS.

“School Resource Officers play an important role in schools across Indiana,” Austin said. “Knowing how many school districts have trained SROs is the first step to communicating transparency and improving school security.

“The value SROs bring to overall school safety is vital. They are not only a lifeline during emergency situations, but they also provide daily peace of mind to students, teachers and parents by maintaining a constant presence in the school.

“The bottom line is, School Resource Officers save lives. The sooner we can know how many we have, the sooner we can add more where they are needed most.

“I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the parent… wouldn’t you want to know if there are school resource officers employed in your child’s district?”

The amendment passed through the House unanimously.