Gov. Doug Ducey introduced voluntary training programs for school resource officers with an emphasis on de-escalation and mental health awareness.
The program came about because of the advocacy work of Arizona House newcomer Alma Hernandez, a Democrat representing Tucson’s 3rd District.
“These courses will make a big difference to improve safety in our schools — and Rep. Alma Hernandez deserves a lot of credit,” Ducey said in a press release.
When Hernandez was 14, a school resource officer attacked her. Once she assumed office, she continued to voice support for more resource officer training.
Hernandez mentioned Ducey in a tweet, in January, saying she was “brutally attacked” and suffered “severe spinal damage” at the hands of a school resource officer when she was a teen.
I was brutally attacked as a 14yr old girl & now suffer from severe spinal damage on my HS campus by the SRO who was there to “keep me safe” Gov @dougducey suggest more$ in his plan to keep kids safe by adding more officers.I say that’s NOT the solution. #CounselorsNotCops
— (((Rep.Alma Hernandez))) (@almaforarizona) January 14, 2019
The tweet created a conversation between her and Ducey about more training for school resource officers.
The National Association of School Resource Officers designed a course, which ran from Nov. 18 to 21 at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy and the Mesa Police Department Training Academy.
“Doug Ducey provided Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) additional funding. We were able to provide these classes at no cost to the participants and no cost to the police agencies,” Matt Giordano, executive director of the AZPOST Board, said.
Giordano said he is excited about the prospects of this program.
“What I’m hoping is that we’re taking already highly trained and skilled police officers, who have dedicated their time and energy to working with the youth of Arizona, and providing them the tools that will ultimately make them more effective in working on a school campus,” Giordano said.
Some of the highlights in the course were adolescent development, mental health disorder and treatment, crisis intervention and de-escalation, and a resource officer’s role on the campus.
Understanding the role of a school resource officer is an integral part of the course, according to Giordano.
“It’s very important for a school resource officer to understand that they are there as a mentor as a role model, to provide safety and security,” Giordano said. “What they are not there to do is to enforce rules and become a school rule disciplinarian.”
Don Cederdahl has been an officer for 25 years and a school resource officer for 19 years now. He has been with Central High school for two years and attended the training at the Mesa Police Department Training Academy last week.
“I think any training is beneficial even though I’ve done it for a long time. Some of the stuff was repetitive for me, but I still got things out of it for me,” Cederdahl said.
Dealing with difficult situations, especially ones that involve youth, require experience, said Cederdahl.
“You have to try to put yourself in another person’s shoes,” Cederdahl said.
Puente Human Rights Movement said these training sessions are not enough. Maxima Guerrero, Puente Youth Organizer, said resource officers should be on campus at all.
“What we want to push for is the social, emotional support that exists for young people on a school campus and the shifting of the culture around mental health,” Maxima said. “Things like counselors, psychologists and social workers who create a safer environment for all students in and out of the school.”
Resource officers are not receiving the same type of training and preparation to work with students in the classroom compared to counselors and teachers, Maxima said.
Puente campaigned to end the placement of officers on campus because they believe students of color disproportionately face discipline by officers.
Maxima said the root cause is how students of color interact with school resource officers and that many of these students are disciplined at a higher rate than their peers.
“At the end of the day, officers have the authority to make arrests, and they are still gonna carry their weapons on campus,” she said.
The program did not come as a response to recent controversies involving resource officers, Giordano said.
“We’ve been in the planning stages for this program for months now, and this came out of a conversation Gov. Doug Ducey had with Rep. Alma Hernandez,” Giordano said.
These classes are not mandatory, but school resource officers are encouraged to attend with the classes, he said.
“I know the Legislature is looking at changing the statutes in the upcoming legislative session that would make this training mandatory,” Giordano said.
One hundred school resource officers registered for the class, and AZPost estimates Arizona has between 300 to 350, so the organization is happy with the turnout, Giordano said.
Classes will expand to South and North Phoenix next year.
Contact the reporter at lzambra2@asu.edu.
