Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
Ding, ding, ding! As explained earlier, SROs are not like a uniformed officer. In many parts of the country they don't even have the same training as an officer, which is why they may have a different uniform so as to not make that expectation that they can engage in full duties. The role of the SRO is act as a deterrent to petty crimes, drug use and trafficking, and bullying on campuses. They are not going to engage in many traditional patrol officer activities, because they are not equipped or prepared for those events. They are just above a paid security guard in many ways.
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But in many places like my high school they are regular officers assigned to the school. Officer Schwartz did several years as the school cop and then went on to being a detective. While he did indeed wear a different uniform so as to not look so out of place, he still had his badge, gun, and during holidays like independence day you would see him in uniform assisting the force when they needed bodies. You have more knowledge in this than I, I don't dispute that, but you seem to have this idea that these cops really are just mall rent a cops. And I find it hard to believe that I went to the one high school in America that had a real officer. Heck I graduated just weeks after columbine, so I was in school for a relatively calm era up until the very end.
I guess what I still don't grasp is this...
I'm at a business. Someone comes in and starts shooting. I call 911. Officers respond. And while they may have to take a defensive type position, they still respond. They don't say "sorry guys we are busy with this speeding ticket, so we can't respond." Yet if that same situation happens at a school that already has an officer on site, that's the response you are advocating.