GRAPEVINE, Texas — On July 10, 2025, at the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) National School Safety Conference, Lee County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Lt. Pamela Revels and educator Stacie Voskuil led an interactive session that emphasized the importance of collaboration between school resource officers (SROs) and educators. The session, “Safety, support and success: How educators and SROs can team up for kids,” focused on effective communication, role clarity and building trust as the cornerstones of safer schools.
Lt. Revels and Voskuil opened with a live poll and collaborative Google Doc exercise, inviting attendees to identify what was working in their own districts — and where gaps still existed. The exercise highlighted recurring challenges: high leadership turnover, confusion over SRO versus administrator roles, and breakdowns in communication when legal or policy restrictions created roadblocks.
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About the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)
SRO-administration communication: More than just talking
Lt. Revels reminded attendees that the quality of communication determines the effectiveness of safety partnerships. “Communication has to be effective,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s just back and forth.”
Attendees shared examples of how poor communication creates friction. Some said turnover leaves new administrators unsure of SRO roles. Others noted that attorneys can unintentionally stifle collaboration by warning staff against information-sharing. Others described how educators sometimes expect SROs to step into disciplinary issues, such as a student refusing to take off a hoodie, that fall outside an officer’s scope.
Lt. Revels encouraged SROs to use structured conversation starters with administrators early in the year. Simple “what are our goals?” conversations, she said, can uncover misunderstandings before they escalate. She also pointed to shared digital spaces — from Google Drive folders to district intranets — as tools that keep everyone aligned and accountable.
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The power of trust and guidance
To illustrate the difference leadership makes in a crisis, Voskuil asked attendees to close their eyes and find their way around the room. The first attempt, without direction, quickly dissolved into frustration. The second, guided by a partner, was smoother and calmer.
The exercise mirrored what happens in schools: without trusted guidance, confusion spreads; with it, staff and students feel supported even under pressure.
“When parents drop their kids off at school, they expect them to come back the same way — mentally, physically and emotionally well,” Voskuil said. “That requires effective guides and leaders on campus.”
Voskuil also stressed that trust must be built before emergencies. By showing up consistently in classrooms, hallways and cafeterias, SROs can position themselves as approachable allies. “It’s a lot harder to hurt someone you like than someone you don’t,” she noted, underscoring the preventive power of relationships.
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MOUs: The backbone of school safety
Both presenters emphasized the importance of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between schools and law enforcement.
“I cannot say enough about your MOU,” Lt. Revels said. “It’s industry standard. Do your administrators even know what it says?”
She cautioned that too many administrators haven’t read the document that governs daily interactions with SROs. As a result, they may ask officers to take on duties outside their role — or hesitate to involve them in issues where their involvement is appropriate.
Lt. Revels recommended that agencies:
- Review MOUs annually with administrators and staff
- Integrate MOUs into training so staff understand the boundaries of law enforcement involvement
- Use MOUs as a communication tool, clarifying who is responsible for what during drills, investigations and emergencies
One attendee shared that their district keeps the MOU, safety plans and SRO contact lists in a shared folder accessible to all administrators. This transparency, they said, prevents misunderstandings and strengthens confidence in school–police partnerships.
Beyond crisis response: Building everyday connections
Voskuil emphasized that the most powerful SRO relationships are forged in everyday settings, not emergencies.
“Non-crisis connections are the foundation,” she said. “If students feel safe, they’re ready to learn — and more likely to report what worries them.”
She urged SROs to:
- Read with younger students in classrooms
- Join staff for informal conversations in the lunchroom
- Be visible on playgrounds and during passing periods
These daily interactions not only reduce anxiety for students but also shift educator perceptions of SROs. Some teachers, Voskuil noted, may find officers intimidating at first. Regular, positive contact helps break down those barriers.
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Practical strategies from the field
The session’s collaborative Google Doc was filled with practical strategies participants had tried in their own districts, including:
- Shared drives and digital tools: Centralized folders where administrators and SROs can access safety plans, PowerPoints and updated contact lists.
- Collaboration with special education teams: Understanding triggers, accommodations and behavior plans for students with special needs before a crisis occurs.
- Front office training: Preparing reception staff to handle threats and emergencies with clear checklists and role assignments.
- Anonymous tip reporting: Using QR codes on student IDs or posters linked to reporting platforms, ensuring tips go directly to SROs and administrators without delay.
These examples, the presenters said, demonstrate how small, practical steps can build stronger systems of prevention and response.
Why it matters
The presenters closed with a reminder that effective school safety isn’t just about responding to threats — it’s about creating cultures of trust, communication and support.
“Every seat in this room represents one more child who can be positively impacted,” Lt. Revels said. “Safety is a shared responsibility — and it starts with us working together.”
Learn more
The Police1 resources below cover strategies to prevent violence, strengthen SRO effectiveness and build safer, more supportive school environments.
- Digital Edition: Prevention, disruption & response: The strategies communities must deploy to stop school shootings
- Essential resources every school resource officer needs to safely engage students with disabilities
- 3 steps to SRO success: How to be a good cop in school
- Building student trust in school resource officers is key to preventing school violence
- This is not a retirement post: What school resource officers really do
- 5 ways a school resource officer can improve campus security
- On-demand webinar: Building safer schools
- Building a culture of prevention: Focusing on behavioral and mental health interventions in schools
- Averted School Violence: How NASRO’s checklist helps schools and police act early
