Date of Conferral

9-17-2025

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Jana Price-Sharps

Abstract

The use of school resource officers (SROs)—trained police officers who have been assigned to schools—has markedly increased with the rise in school shootings in the United States. However, after several high-profile incidents of excessive force by SROs, there has been a movement toward removing them from schools. Although researchers have studied the use of SROs in schools, few have examined how the relationship between SROs and students affects students’ perceptions of the police. The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of how SROs experience their interactions with students and how those interactions affect students' perceptions of police officers. Bronfenbrenner’s social-ecological theory and Raven and French’s power theory underpinned the study. As part of the qualitative phenomenological study design, a purposive sample was drawn of seven SROs working in a middle school system for at least a year. Data analysis, which involved the use of Miles and Huberman’s coding system, yielded four themes and two subthemes. The themes were the importance of formal SRO training, the role of the SRO, the nature of the relationships between students and SROs, and changes in student perceptions of the police. The subthemes were educating staff on the role of the SRO and the way these relationships affect students. Participants perceived SRO relationships with students to be beneficial in changing students’ perceptions of the police and potentially making students feel more comfortable with reporting infractions. The results suggest that the presence of SROs may improve the current climate of distrust toward the police. The study may promote positive social change by informing policy development on the use of SROs in schools.

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