School Based Law Enforcement Training

School-based law enforcement training provides personnel with needed skills to address crime.

School safety and the protection of children on campuses nationwide has become a high priority in many communities. School-based law enforcement personnel help students and educators achieve this goal. Appropriate training for law enforcement officers further promotes school safety.

History

One example of school-based law enforcement training is the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program (GREAT), used by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). This national program, one of the first in the country, began in 1991.

Types

School-based law enforcement training topics offer a wide variety of information to school officers. Classes cover such topics as teen dating and violence, drug identification, Arab culture, school safety and vulnerability, steroids, the choking game and school searches.

Personnel Trained

School-based law enforcement training benefits a range of personnel. These include school educators and administrators, parents, school resource officers, school probation or parole officers, security personnel and school drug educators.

Statistics

According to the ATF, more than six million elementary and middle school students graduated from the GREAT program between 1991 and 2009.

References

• 2010 Texas School-Based Law Enforcement Conference Conference
• ATF.gov: Gang Resistance Education and Training Program