SROs and SSOs
Our district has been awarded two types of School Safety Program grants, one funding counselors and School Resource Officers (SROs) and, the most recent, a mini-grant allowing MUSD to enhance school safety by introducing School Safety Officers (SSOs) at each of our elementary schools.
The School Safety Program has been in place since 1994, initially funding School Resource Officers (SROs) and juvenile probation officers. In 2019, the program expanded to include school counselors and social workers, further supporting safe and effective learning environments for all students in Arizona.
In Maricopa Unified School District (MUSD), we already have SROs at every secondary school and several counselors funded by other School Safety Program grants. With this new grant, we are introducing School Safety Officers (SSOs) in our elementary schools. These positions are shared and intermittent, meaning SSOs will be present at different times throughout the school day and week. They are not assigned to discipline students but serve as an additional layer of safety and a valuable resource for our schools.
What’s the Difference Between an SRO and an SSO?
- School Resource Officers (SROs):
- Are sworn law enforcement officers employed by local police departments or the sheriff’s office.
- Have arrest authority and provide law-related education, counseling, and mediation.
- Are assigned full-time to secondary school campuses.
- School Safety Officers (SSOs):
- Are peace officers or full-authority reserve police officers who are certified by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board.
- Serve as a visible safety presence, help with emergency preparedness, and build relationships with students and staff.
- Are working intermittently. This allows for a solution to the challenge that many law enforcement agencies did not have available officers for full-time SRO positions at the time of the notification of the grant.
Funding
- SROs
- The Arizona Department of Education's School Safety Program supports the costs of SROs and counselors.
- SSOs
- The state's School Safety Mini-Grant funds SSOs.
- 18 months
- The state's School Safety Mini-Grant funds SSOs.
Contact Us
Tracey Pastor
Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services
520-568-5100
tpastor@musd20.org
