School Resource Officers

The School Resource Officer program is a combined service of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Bradenton Police Department, Palmetto Police Department and School Board of Manatee County. The SRO program was established in 1986 and consists of a uniformed sheriff's deputy or police officer officer assigned to each middle school, high school and cluster of elementary schools to work in cooperation with the school's administrators, faculty, and students.

The SROs are liaisons between school staff and students helping to prevent juvenile delinquency, maintaining a secure environment on campus, and promoting a positive attitude toward law enforcement. They also teach students the role of law enforcement in society and inform students of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

In addition, the SROs will present various safety programs including the newly developed “Crossroads, It's Your Choice!” instruction to 5th and 6th grade students which replaces D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). This program was developed to assist students in making appropriate choices in life and to prevent violence and substance abuse.