Center for Safe Schools

2012 School Security Officer Institutes

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has contracted with the Center for Safe Schools to conduct regionally-based School Security Officer Institutes. There will be a series of 18 regionally-based School Security Officer Institutes offered at nine locations throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during 2012.

The Institutes are designed for school security officers working in Pennsylvania elementary and secondary schools. A School Security Officer (SSO) is a noncommissioned officer employed by a school district or a vendor who is assigned to a school for routine safety and security duties and who has not been granted powers under section 778 (c)(2),(3) or(4). Inhouse school security personnel, although sometimes commissioned with limited arrest authority depending upon jurisdiction, qualifications and other issues, typically are civilian, non-police classified school support personnel without full police powers.

Each of these four-day training events is designed to provide school security officers with best practice information and techniques to assist them in functioning effectively in the school setting and will provide Pennsylvania-specific information. The course uses a combination of classroom and interactive techniques including classroom lecture, PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, handout materials and practical scenarios.

The Institute will emphasize three areas of importance:

1. Functioning as a security officer in the school setting
2. Working effectively with students
3. School safety and emergency planning

Information will be provided on the following topics:

• The roles and responsibilities of school security officers
  • Federal and Pennsylvania school law
  • Security techniques
  • School safety
• Creating and maintaining effective relationships with school administrators
  • School discipline policies
  • Youth violence prevention
• Creating and maintaining open lines of communication with students
  • Behavior management techniques
  • Student rights
  • Bullying prevention
• Understanding issues affecting at-risk youth
  • Gangs and hate groups
  • Drug awareness and concealment
  • Neglect and abuse investigations
• Assisting school administrators in all-hazards planning
  • Hazard/vulnerability assessment
  • Prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities