Bend-La Pine Schools has partnered with the Bend Police Department and Deschutes County Sheriff's Department to embed officers and deputies in all of our schools. Our School Resource Officers (SROs) work to build positive relationships with students, staff, and families so they feel safe in schools and the community. Officers and deputies can be seen outside of schools greeting students in the morning or supporting after school during sporting events.
The SRO position is a special assignment with a collaborative selection process between the law enforcement agencies and Bend-La Pine Schools to find those officers and deputies who will educate, mentor, and counsel students and protect our schools. The SRO program used in Bend-La Pine Schools follows best practices as outlined by the National Association of School Resource Officers. Officers and deputies attend a wide variety of training throughout the school year related to student safety and mental wellbeing. Our SROs support school staff with training, help resolve student incidents, and educate students on safety. The partnership is vital to the safety of our schools, and we encourage open dialogue with families who have safety concerns or are looking for information on our district safety measures.