This press release was issued by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department Wednesday:
The Sheriff’s Department has no higher priority than the safety of the youth in our communities. We work earnestly to provide for that safety through enforcement, education, and collaboration with our community partners.
School Resource Officers, or SROs, have been assigned to high schools within the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department for the past 20 years. They act as the direct liaison between law enforcement, contract cities and school districts. SROs also investigate drug and property crimes, and other criminal cases involving students and school employees. Deputies with this assignment also give presentations about drug and alcohol use, gangs and truancy, as well as bullying on campus. They also help facilitate the department's free Start Smart classes for new teen drivers. The contract cities or school districts pay for the SROs.
Since the school shooting in Connecticut, SROs and patrol deputies visited schools in their areas to ensure lockdown and evacuation procedures that have been in place for years and reviewed annually are up to date. They are also working with school administrators to review emergency plans and familiarize themselves with the layout of campuses. Patrol deputies are also stopping by during pick‐up and drop‐off hours and introducing themselves to students as they walk around the campus. Below is a list of Sheriff's Stations and the number of SROs assigned to them:
San Marcos Sheriff’s Station – 2
Vista Sheriff’s Station ‐ 2
Poway Sheriff’s Station ‐ 2
Lemon Grove Sheriff’s Station ‐ 3
Santee Sheriff’s Station ‐ 3
Imperial Beach Sheriff’s Station ‐ 1
Sheriff’s stations and substations without SROs have juvenile detectives. Deputies also check in regularly with school administrators as part of their patrol duties. We want to remind students that if they hear any threats of violence or even potential violence, they can always approach our SROs or call the anonymous Crime Stoppers Students Speaking Out Tip Line at (888) 580‐8477 or the Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565‐5200.
