School Resource Officers
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are community based programs that reflect the needs and concerns of their communities. Programs are typically organized at the individual school level or among a cluster of schools or school districts. As an officer already working in a school(s) you are well-positioned to be a partner in a SRTS effort.
Ways to Get Involved:
- Contact the PTA or School Principal from your school (or schools) and find out if there is already a committee that deals with student pedestrian and bicycle safety. If there is, join it! If there isn't, suggest that a committee be formed. For helpful information, see Schools: Addressing the Behaviors of Parents and Caregivers
- Be a SRTS team member by providing needed enforcement operations for the SRTS program such as speed control, yielding to pedestrians, student jaywalking, and driver adherence with school drop-off and pick-up procedures.
- Develop some simple pedestrian and bicycle safety messages that can be delivered to students during morning or afternoon announcements.
- Educate drivers (including parents!) about unsafe and unacceptable driving practices around the school.
- Organize or participate in a bicycle rodeo for students to learn about bicycle safety through an on-bike experience.
- Talking Points: Addressing Parents
- Help educate students and parents about bicycle and pedestrian safety and concerns they may have about personal security issues.
Finding Funding:
Depending on your level of involvement and the extent of your program's SRTS activities, you may want to seek federal funds or assist others in doing so. Click here for more information on funding for SRTS programs.
Note: Under the Federal SRTS program, States are authorized to fund only those activities that are directed towards students in grades k–8 and within two miles of the school site.