Every Central Texas school district will begin the school year with at least one trained, armed police or staff member on campus.
This follows the implementation of House Bill 3 in September 2023, which compels all Texas school districts to have armed police on each campus.
Clifton ISD recruited its first school resource officer (SRO) before the commencement of the 2023–24 academic year.
Superintendent Andy Ball stated that it was a year-long effort. The district collaborates with the Clifton Police Department to fund an SRO throughout the school year.
“When the legislature decided to do $15,000 per campus, for us, that’s $45,000,” he explained. “Of course, it won’t cover the cost of a full police force, but it will cover some of our safety and security expenses. So, being able to close the contract and reach an agreement with the PD here was quite beneficial.”
During the school year, the SRO works for the district; however, in the summer, she works for the police department. The Clifton Police Department employs her.
Officer Carmen Moreno became the district’s first SRO in 2023.
She stated that she welcomes students in the morning, patrols campuses throughout the day, ensures school doors are closed and shut, and is ready to respond to any emergency situation.
Fortunately, she said she did not have to respond to any events last school year, but she believes that being an officer on campus makes parents, students, and staff feel more comfortable.
“You see everything that’s happened this far in the world; just knowing there’s a police officer, somebody that can engage as soon as necessary if something were to happen, is… it’s kind of a relief just to send your kids to school,” she told me.
Ball stated that, in addition to having an SRO, the district has implemented various safety and security measures in recent years.
“I’m not saying I do it for my own kids, but I have kids here that I’m not worried about going to school every day at Clifton ISD,” the father said. “The things that we’ve been able to do in the past 13 years, and really in the past several years, have really enhanced not only the safety, but the culture and the climate around here for the kids and the staff.”
Ball said the district felt having an officer on site would help students.
Moreno stated that she noticed some students did not speak with her because she wore a badge. Throughout the year, she saw that the same students would approach her for help with their concerns.
“A lot of them, I think, wouldn’t have told me certain things in the beginning or maybe reported stuff if they needed to, feel comfortable enough to come up and tell me stuff or feel that I’m there to actually help them or just be there for them in general,” she says.
Moreno is thrilled to see students return to campus to serve as SROs for the second year.
The district also developed the Guardian Program, which trains workers to be armed and capable of using force in emergency situations on campuses where Moreno may not be present.
“The guardian program is also awesome because I’m not going to be at all the schools at the same time,” she told me. “If something were to happen in the middle school and I’m at the elementary school, there are people there who I know will be able to handle it before me and any other help can arrive,” she told me.
School guardians must undergo a background check, physical exam, and psychological evaluation, which is the same method as police enforcement. They must also complete a training program and continue to train throughout the academic year.
Guardians’ identities are kept confidential, but the initiative is run entirely by volunteers.
Many Central Texas school districts have developed police departments.
Ball elected not to build a police department at this time so that the district could not only use Clifton PD’s resources but also enter into an agreement with the department.
Other school districts employ many SROs or school guardians.
Bottom line: ensure that a trained officer or staff member is prepared to respond to any emergency scenario on district property.