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- Southlake School Safety
The City of Southlake Police Department proudly partners with all Southlake public schools to promote and ensure student safety. From when students and staff set foot on campus to when they leave, their well-being and protection are top priorities.
The key component of our School Safety strategy is the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program, which started in the late 1990s with SROs active in the middle schools and High schools. In 2013, following the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, an SRO was placed at every Carroll ISD school to support each campus.
The promise to support the highest school safety standards continued in 2018 with the commitment to place one additional SRO at each high school, install rifle-rated protected glass, and other behind-the-scenes enhancements.
In 2022, following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the program expanded again with the addition of four more licensed peace officers. It will now consist of 19 officers; a Captain, a Sergeant, and a Corporal, who will lead a team of 16 SROs.
The City of Southlake’s SRO program and other school safety enhancements are funded primarily through the Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD). The District’s board works jointly with the City Council to ensure that funds raised through the 1/8 cent Crime Control sales tax are spent on programs and capital purchases to help reduce crime and increase public safety.
Your child’s safety and protection is a responsibility the City takes very seriously. Your comments and questions about our commitment are welcomed.
Over the last two years, the Southlake Police Department’s SRO program has been recognized statewide and nationally and has received a multitude of awards.
In 2021, TASRO (Texas Association of School Resource Officers) awarded the Southlake Police Department with the “SRO Program of the Year.” Also in 2021, Officer Tony Pate received the NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) Valor Award for his efforts in disarming a mentally disturbed subject who had visible blood on his hands and clothing, all within 500 feet of students and staff arriving at Carroll Middle School. Most recently, Officer Brett Roberson received the TASRO Officer of the Year award in 2022.