Sheriff - School Resource Officer (SRO)

Pay: Starting rate of $52,108 annually for a new hire or established employee certified by CLEST prior to employment with 4 years of law enforcement experience. 2026 Saline County Sheriff School Resource Officer Job Description Exempt: No Department: Saline County Sheriff Reports To: Support Services Captain Location: School District Safety Sensitive: No GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION This position is a certified law enforcement officer and shall be assigned duties at the School District by the Sheriff and will work in the schools or at school related functions when school is in session. As determined by the Sheriff or his designee, the SRO (School Resource Officer) will be available, in emergencies, for other duties within the Sheriff's Office, including regular department functions. The Support Services Captain shall be the supervisor for the SRO program. The SRO shall at all times remain under Saline County Sheriff's chain of command. This position is designated as a "safety sensitive position" as defined by Act 593 of 2017. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Shall be assigned to schools or attend school related functions. The SRO will provide traffic control when deemed necessary by the Sheriff or his designee for the safety and protection of students, staff and the general public. The SRO and school administrators will meet once a month or as necessary to discuss any issues pertaining to the SRO program. The SRO shall be on duty at the schools throughout the school day, including fifteen (15) minutes before and fifteen (15) minutes after the hours during which school is in session each day and shall not be reassigned to non-school law enforcement duties except as determined by the Sheriff or his designee. The SRO may be asked to provide security at AAA sanctioned or other extracurricular events that occur on the school campus. The SRO shall coordinate with the school administration and Support Services Captain and be responsible for law enforcement and security activity at extra-curricular events as determined by the school administration and authorized by the Sheriff. The SRO will maintain a high degree of visibility and student contact in the schools and when requested at extracurricular school functions. During periods when students are not in class, the SRO should be out on campus, interacting with students and establishing contacts that will enable them to be aware of issues or concerns that need to be addressed. The SRO will be available to provide assistance in cases where violations of student discipline policies amount to violations of federal, state, or local law such as fighting, possession of weapons, drugs, threats of violence, including bomb threats or any situations that may result in charges being filed or arrests being made for illegal behavior. The SRO will take law enforcement action as necessary and notify the principal of the school as soon as possible. Whenever practical, the SRO will advise the principal before requesting additional enforcement assistance on campus and undertake all additional law enforcement responsibilities at the principal's direction to the extent doing so will not interfere with law enforcement activities. The SRO shall not transport students to and from school unless such transportation is incident to an arrest or other official law enforcement activity. At the District's request, the SRO shall work with the district administrators and building principals to plan and offer instruction to staff and students on topics that promote safe school environment. The SRO is expected to develop expertise in presenting various subjects, particularly in meeting federal and state mandates in drug abuse prevention education and shall provide these presentations at the request of the school personnel in accordance with the established curriculum. The SRO should confer with the principal to develop plans and strategies to prevent and/or minimize dangerous situations on or near the campus or involving students at school-related activities. The SRO shall comply with all County and Sheriff's Office policies with respect to attendance and reporting work on time. To the extent practical, the SRO is to abide by the school board policies and shall consult with and coordinate activities through the principal. However, the SRO shall remain fully responsive to the chain of command of the Sheriff's Office in all matters relating to employment and supervision. Perform any other related duties as required or assigned. QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE High School Diploma or have passed the General Education Development (GED) testing indication high school graduation level. Home school diplomas will not substitute for the above unless approved by the Commission. Documentary evidence shall consist of official transcript, diplomas or GED test report form. In unusual circumstances the Commission may be required to accept other documentation and in such cases the decision of the Commission shall be final. Home schooling diplomas will not be accepted unless approved by the Commission. Four (4) years of previous experience in law enforcement is not required but preferred. COMMUNICATION SKILLS Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and policy/procedure manuals; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS CLEST certification prior to hiring Forty (40) hours basic School Resource Officer training program developed and provided or approved by the Arkansas Center for School Safety. Complete a 16-hour School RO refresher training course every 5 years or as required by the department or school. Certification