School Policing Programs: Where We Have Been and Where We Need To Go Next

• In Event: NIJ-Day: School Safety Research and Evaluation: What Have We Learned? What Questions Remain?

Abstract

In 2019, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) was directed to provide Congress with a report on the state of school policing in the United States that examined the current role of police in schools and provided recommendations on how they can better serve the needs of students. To address this directive, NIJ engaged two consultants to conduct a comprehensive literature review and examination of data sources, facilitate four days of expert panel discussions, and synthesize the results from these data collection efforts. This presentation describes the results of those efforts and will address: 1) The history of school policing; 2) The various implementation models of school policing programs; 3) The roles of officers working as school police; 4) The training received by officers working in schools; 5) The impacts of school policing programs; 6) Information gathered from the group of expert researchers and those working in the field; and 7) Recommendations for moving forward with school policing in the United States.

Author

• Joe McKenna, WestEd