School Resource Officers are Calgary Police Service officers placed in schools to engage with and mentor students. A School Resource Officer (SRO) generally has a background working with youth, families and community-based programs.
Role of School Resource Officers
- Serve as a positive image of law enforcement and mentors to students
- Provide advice and guidance on bullying, cyberbullying, school violence and other topics
- Help educate students about the law, safety, sexual consent and drug awareness
- Lead or assist with investigations into criminal activity involving students or on school property
- Refer students to youth and community-based programs
- Assist with lockdown drills, as required by school boards
Program history and funding
Established in Calgary in 1976, the SRO program currently serves more than 400 schools across four school divisions:
- Calgary Board of Education
- Calgary Catholic School District
- FrancoSud School Board
- Palliser School Division
Officers are assigned to junior and senior high schools; a smaller, dedicated team of Youth Education Officers supports elementary schools.
The SRO and Youth Education Officer programs are funded through the Calgary Police Service.
Who is my School Resource Officer?
To find out who your School Resource Officer is, contact the main office of your school.
If your school does not have a dedicated SRO, report any incidences of bullying or criminal activity to the school administration. They can direct you to a police officer if they feel it is necessary.
School Resource Officer Reimagination Project
In 2020, The Calgary Police Service committed to being relentless in its pursuit of dismantling systemic racism and becoming an anti-racist, equitable and inclusive police service. As part of these commitments, the Service is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment through the School Resource Officer (SRO) program.
The CPS is aware of the lived, negative experience of many equity-deserving students and their families with police. Informed by lessons learned over the years, including broad ranging consultation with community about community-focused programming, the SRO program is committed to implementing a program which considers and aims to meet the needs of all Calgary students.
Between 2020 and 2023, the CPS facilitated an independent review of the SRO program, to hear about the perspectives and experiences of Calgary students. The review:
- Included surveys, interviews, webinars, email submissions and roundtable sessions
- Engaged a total of 2,898 participants: students, families, educators and CPS officers
- Focused on experiences of Racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities
Full Reports:
- School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Evaluation: Final Report for the Calgary Police Service (Argyle)
- Police Engaging Youth in Schools: Elementary Student Engagement – What We Heard Report (Engage Resource Unit, The City of Calgary)
- Insights and Experiences from Junior and Senior High School Students Regarding the SRO Program (ActionDignity)
- Police Engaging Youth in Schools: Teacher Engagement – What We Heard Report (Engage Resource Unit, The City of Calgary)
- Police Engaging Youth in Schools: Roundtable– What We Heard Report (Engage Resource Unit, The City of Calgary)
Final overall report
Progress of Recommendations
The CPS has formed the internal SRO Reimagination Working Group and an external Advisory Board to guide the future of police presence in schools.
Progress updates will be shared with the Calgary Police Commission.
SRO Fact Sheet
*This content has been translated by an independent, third-party service. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide accurate translations, but errors may still occur. While we strive for accessibility, accuracy & linguistic/cultural understanding, the CPS does not certify the accuracy of translated content, nor assume liability for errors in translation.
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