Protecting & caring for one of the most valuable resources in the county.

The School Resource Unit was formed in August 1991. It consists of deputies who are assigned to each school as a School Resource Officer (S.R.O.). The S.R.O.s interact daily with the sixteen (16) schools in Walton County School District. Currently, there are over 6,900 students and over 1,100 employees. There are ninty (90) school buses that transport over 4,900 students to and from school everyday. And it is the responsibility of the School Resource Unit to ensure the safety of everyone.

The purpose and duty of a S.R.O. is trifold. First, as with any law enforcement officer, the S.R.O. is held to an oath of upholding the law. If the S.R.O. sees or has knowledge of a crime involving any students or on school grounds, the S.R.O. will get involved to ensure that justice is appropriately served. S.R.O.s try to prevent and/or stop fights in the schools, solve thefts, burglaries, assist in child custody cases, and enforce illegal narcotics laws in the schools and on school property. Secondly, an S.R.O. is tasked with educating the children of Walton County about crime prevention and crime awareness. They utilized various means to do this such as DVDs, pamphlets, handouts, etc. to get the word out. They go into the classrooms and teach about topics ranging from bicycle safety to safe driving and traffic laws to inappropriate behavior that could eventually lead to serious law violations and the results. They do their best to keep our kids out of trouble and on the "good" side of the law. And lastly, S.R.O.s provide counseling to anyone, child or adult, that asks. S.R.O.s have helped many many families, given many kids guidance and pointers, and educated parents on many levels to know how to deal with certain issues if needed. S.R.O.s are there to listen and make necessary referrals, should the need arise. Getting involved is truly an understatement when it comes to S.R.O.s. Some work as much as over two hundred (200) hours a month. S.R.O.s attend afterschool dances and utilize minibreathalyzers provided by Mothers Against Drunk Driving to enforce zero telorance alcohol usage, assist in afterschool clubs and programs, and attend most school team sports games, regardless of home or away status.

The School Resource Officer program in Walton County began with one resource officer at Walton High School and another at Freeport High School. Today, we have nine (9) resource officers, eight (8) deputies and one (1) sergeant, assigned to all middle schools, high schools, a vocational-technical school and a charter school. Some of the S.R.O.s are relatively new, having just over a year in the unit, and others are extremely experienced, having been an S.R.O. for over fourteen (14) years. The S.R.O.s can be found roaming the halls of their school wearing "dress down uniforms" in order to make them less intimidating and more approachable to the students. They utilize various

Over time, everyone has realized that whatever is happening on the streets outside the schools will also occur in the halls inside the schools. The S.R.O.s are in the schools to keep everyone safe and allow every student the chance to have a good education without fear. Each S.R.O. takes their job very seriously because we know the future is in their hands.

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