School Resource Officers (SROs) and school-based police play a crucial role in campus safety for K-12 students. SROs and frontline officers work with school administrators to create a positive school environment that supports the education and social development needs of students. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) – the guiding document for school-based policing – is essential to maximize collaboration between the school district and law enforcement agency.

In support of student safety and learning success, the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will host a Twitter/X chat with the COPS Office on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 11 AM ET to discuss MOU development and best practices. The REMS TA Center, administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, provides training, resources, and technical assistance to support emergency operation plan (EOP) development for K-12 and post-secondary schools, and state and regional education agencies, in partnership with law enforcement agencies, first responders, and other community stakeholders.

The #REMSChatWithAnExpert will be a discussion with COPS Office Analyst Elizabeth Simpson about the important considerations for partners to formulate and update an MOU, including purpose and scope, defined roles & responsibilities, information sharing, and annual evaluation. During the chat, SROs and law enforcement executives, school administrators, emergency managers and stakeholders are encouraged to join and provide input on best practices and lessons learned.

To date, the COPS Office has developed MOU and school-based policing resources. In addition, an upcoming article in the COPS Office’s e-newsletter, the Community Policing Dispatch, will provide additional information about the extensive REMS TA Center’s EOP resources available to law enforcement agencies and emergency managers. Subscribe for COPS Office email updates to make sure you don’t miss it!

To join the chat on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 11 AM ET, follow the COPS Office (@COPSOffice) and REMS TA Center (@remstacenter), and follow the hashtag #REMSChatWithAnExpert.

Additional Resources:

• School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding
• Tribal MOU/MOA Sample Resource Library
• Fillable MOU Template for Download
• Understanding the Roles of School Resource Officers Training Materials
• Developing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for Enhancing Emergency Preparedness in the School Setting Online Course
• A Discussion on the Role of School Resource Officers in School Safety and a Review of the Averted School Violence Database Webinar

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