Practitioner Perspectives on a Research-Based Framework for Implementing School Policing Programs

• In Event: School Discipline Policies and Programs

Abstract

Police presence in U.S. public schools has been met with some controversy. Critics claim that police use in schools may result in increased juvenile justice system involvement. Advocates, however, suggest that school policing yields positive outcomes, such as crime prevention, staff and student safety education, and improved police-student relationships. With the goal of guiding schools toward this latter category, the present study sought to obtain practitioner feedback on a comprehensive research-based framework for implementing school-based law enforcement programs.

The framework provides best practice guidance on aspects of program implementation including selecting a program liaison, setting program goals, training school staff and officers, and evaluating and adjusting programs. We spoke with four groups of school staff and five groups of school police officers to solicit feedback on the usefulness, comprehensiveness, practicality, and clarity of this framework, and to identify opportunities for improvement. In our analyses, we disaggregated the data to focus on differences in perspective of school staff and school police officers. Several key themes emerged. In accordance with those themes, we developed recommendations for communicating with these different groups to enhance understanding of and commitment to the program framework.

Authors

• Shawna R White, Texas State University - Texas School Safety Center

• Jospeh Michael McKenna, Texas State University - Texas School Safety Center