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School Resource Officers (SROs) across the state—including deputies with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office—are returning to campuses this year with a sharpened focus on prevention, partnership, and rapid response.
“The SRO role is more than a gun and a badge,” Sheriff Tommie Johnson said. “We’re part of that school community.”
Renewing their commitment to student safety, SROs conducted top-to-bottom safety audits in recent weeks. Deputies working side-by-side with administrators reviewed school layouts, adjusted patrols for schedule changes, and updated emergency protocols.
“We always take the opportunity to look at the past and see what’s happened and how we can prepare for the future,” said Johnson.
The audits also included checking doors, reviewing security cameras, and other control systems.
Prepared for More Than Emergencies
The role of an SRO has expanded far beyond enforcing the law. SROs are also trained in medical response, conflict mediation, emotional intelligence, crime trends, and safety threats— ranging from fentanyl to swatting calls.
Officers stationed in schools, Sheriff Johnson says, have proven to shorten emergency response times. In 2024, an Oklahoma County deputy took life-saving measures at Rogers Middle School when he found a 17-year-old bleeding from his arm. The teen had severed an artery in his arm after punching out a school bus window. The on-site SRO quickly applied a tourniquet to stabilize the teen until paramedics arrived.
“If you had to call us from somewhere else,” the sheriff said, “that kid might not be here today.”
Responding in Real Time
Most schools have extra layers of security each year, including controlled entry points, ID check systems, and cameras, but situations can still escalate in seconds. Johnson recalled another instance where a deputy working as an on-site SRO quickly de-escalated an emergency situation. That incident in 2023, Johnson said, involved an unauthorized adult who tried to pick up a student from Summit Middle School and became violent when confronted by the deputy who deployed a taser to make the arrest.
“This happened at the drop of a dime,” he said. “Being on campus, being aware, being present, but ready to react and respond made the difference.”
New Measures in Oklahoma City Public Schools
SROs combined with new technology are aimed at protecting students and giving peace of mind to parents. This year, Oklahoma City Police officers are stationed as school resource officers at middle and high schools in Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS). Additional armed security on staff will watch over elementary schools in the district, according to OKCPS administrators. The security team also completed safety checks in every school, as well as installed a new visitor check-in system, which requires all guests to register on an iPad before entering a school.
A Shared Responsibility
Parents are urged to talk with their children about the role of law enforcement in schools and encourage them to report concerns.
“If something doesn’t feel right, say something,” Johnson said. “It’s not a burden. It’s how you help us protect everyone else.”
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