DOJ revises guidance for school resource officers after abuse claims

The Department of Justice published the revisions earlier this month after recent claims of abuse perpetrated by school resource officers. The new guidance emphasized the extra caution required by SROs, given their position of authority, to avoid even the appearance of inappropriate behavior, regardless of intention. Resource officers need to establish proper boundaries with students, and schools and law enforcement agencies should establish robust policies around physical contact, traveling, and digital messaging, according to the principles. The department called on law enforcement agencies to investigate all reports of inappropriate behavior and hold offending officers accountable. The agency also offered detailed guidance on investigations, noting that officers investigating abuse claims should be informed on trauma and its effects on the memory and behavior of victims.

Is the new guidance really necessary? Over 200 officers from elementary through high schools were charged with child sex abuse-related crimes from 2005 through 2022, according to a recent investigation by The Washington Post. Dozens of victims alleged that the abuse occurred on school grounds and in the officers’ on-campus offices, the report alleged. National Association of School Resource Officers Executive Director Mo Canady told the Post that he plans to revise his association’s officer training programs to reflect the new guidance revisions.