The partnership between the City of Southlake and Carroll ISD began in 1989 when the first DARE officer began teaching in elementary schools. As the Carroll Independent School District grew and the relationship between the City and the school district strengthened, officers were also placed at other secondary campuses.
From 2005 to 2013, Southlake & CISD schools operated with three (3) School Resource Officers. These officers were assigned to Carroll Senior High School, Carroll High School, and an officer who divided time between Carroll Middle School and Dawson Middle School.
At the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, a School Resource Officer was placed in every CISD school.
The School Resource Officer is a resource for faculty and staff in the area of crime prevention and the development of security measures to make campuses safer.
As a law enforcement officer, the School Resource Officer responds to all types of offenses on campus, takes reports, investigates criminal offenses involving youth, both on and off-campus, acting as both the first responding investigator and an expert in juvenile law. This allows for a thorough investigation by officers most familiar with the needs of children in keeping with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. School Resource Officers enforce violations of the law only, and do not enforce school rules, nor is their presence used to “persuade” compliance.
The Southlake Police Department is proud of the partnership created through the SRO program and the positive impact it has on faculty, teachers, students, and parents.