Are School Police Officers really police officers?

Yes, School Police Officers are really police officers. They attended training just like any other officer and are certified by the State of Florida and regulated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Is the principal of a school the police officer's boss?

No, they work together to provide a safe learning environment for both the students and the staff of that school. They are both responsible to the Superintendent of Schools.

Is a School Police Officer different from other police departments officers?

Yes, the Miami-Dade Schools Police Officer enforces the laws on School Board properties real or leased. This gives the School Police Officer a big challenge to provide safety for everyone, including those students who ride on school buses, attend football games and go to proms, etc.

Does an officer just sit in a school?

Our schools are very active and each officer has a responsibility to the school, students and staff of that school to interact with the school and surrounding schools. The School Resource Officer offers crime prevention and intervention programs, classroom lectures, counseling, conferences with students and parents. We have two of the largest schools in the United States with more than 4,500 students in each school. No, the School Resource Officers do not just sit around. They are evaluated on their interaction with their school.