Protecting the Flock or Policing the Sheep? Differences in School Resource Officers’ Perceptions of Threats by School Racial Composition

Abstract

Law enforcement officers (often called school resource officers or SROs) are an increasingly common feature in schools across the United States. Although SROs’ roles vary across school contexts, there has been little examination of why. One possible explanation is that SROs perceive threats differently in different school contexts and that the racial composition of schools may motivate these differences. To investigate this possibility, this study analyzes interviews with 73 SROs from two different school districts that encompass schools with a variety of racial compositions. Across both districts, SROs perceived three major categories of threats: student-based, intruder-based, and environment-based threats. However, the focus and perceived severity of the threats varied across districts such that SROs in the district with a larger proportion of White students were primarily concerned about external threats (i.e., intruder-based and environment-based) that might harm the students, whereas SROs in the district with a larger proportion of Black students were primarily concerned with students themselves as threats. We consider how these results relate to understandings of school security, inequality among students, racially disparate experiences with school policing, and school and policing policy.

Do Interactions With School Resource Officers Predict Students’ Likelihood of Being Disciplined and Feelings of Safety? Mixed-Methods Evidence From Two School Districts

“…She described how youth learn in schools to expect to be policed rigorously and often even harassed (or “told off”), resulting in the view that policing is procedurally unjust and coercive in a way that endangers, not protects, their security. Such work suggests SROs’ presence in schools creates a shift toward viewing children—particularly children of color—as potential threats and/or criminals (Fisher et al, 2020; Kupchik, 2010; Mukherjee, 2007; Nolan, 2011).…”

“…One nationally representative study of schools found that SROs are more likely to be engaged in educational activities in schools with lower levels of disadvantage (Lynch et al, 2016). Another study examined how schools’ racial composition shapes SROs’ perceptions of the main threats to their school (Fisher et al, 2020). Drawing on interviews with SROs across two school districts, this study found SROs in schools with small proportions of non-White students viewed external threats (e.g., intruders) as the main threat to the school (Fisher et al, 2020).…”

“…Another study examined how schools’ racial composition shapes SROs’ perceptions of the main threats to their school (Fisher et al, 2020). Drawing on interviews with SROs across two school districts, this study found SROs in schools with small proportions of non-White students viewed external threats (e.g., intruders) as the main threat to the school (Fisher et al, 2020). These studies suggest that context shapes how SROs do their job with suburban and rural SROs acting in ways that might be more indicative of the support model (Devlin & Gottfredson, 2018; Fisher et al, 2020).…”

“…Drawing on interviews with SROs across two school districts, this study found SROs in schools with small proportions of non-White students viewed external threats (e.g., intruders) as the main threat to the school (Fisher et al, 2020). These studies suggest that context shapes how SROs do their job with suburban and rural SROs acting in ways that might be more indicative of the support model (Devlin & Gottfredson, 2018; Fisher et al, 2020). In this way, suburban and rural school SROs might be unlikely to engage in school discipline (Fisher et al, 2020; Lynch et al, 2016).…”

“…These studies suggest that context shapes how SROs do their job with suburban and rural SROs acting in ways that might be more indicative of the support model (Devlin & Gottfredson, 2018; Fisher et al, 2020). In this way, suburban and rural school SROs might be unlikely to engage in school discipline (Fisher et al, 2020; Lynch et al, 2016).…”