May 2025 - Minaz Jivraj My Take, School Safety Through Different Lenses: What the U.S. and Canada Can Learn from Each Other’s SRO Models

As a keen school safety and security professional, I have had the chance to review the thoughtful article from Education Week titled “School Resource Officers (SROs), Explained” by Stephen Sawchuk. It provides a detailed look at the roles, training, and effectiveness of SROs in the United States, highlighting both their benefits and the challenges they pose. As a result, I have written the following article, explore how this American perspective compares to the Canadian model of school resource officers, drawing on some research and examples to paint a broader picture.

In the U.S., the Education Week article explains that SROs are sworn law enforcement officers with arrest powers, often armed (91% according to federal data), and tasked with a “tripartite role” of law enforcement, mentoring, and teaching, as outlined by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). The growth of SROs in American schools, rising from 32% of schools in 2005-06 to 45% in 2017-18 has been driven by factors like the 1994 crime bill, the Columbine shooting, and federal COPS grants. However, their effectiveness is a mixed bag. Research cited in the article, such as a 2021 study by Sorensen et al., suggests SROs can reduce violent incidents like physical attacks, but they also increase suspensions, expulsions, and arrests, particularly among Black and Hispanic students, raising concerns about the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

Turning our focus to Canada, the approach to SROs feels a bit different, shaped by a distinct cultural and legal landscape. In Canada, SRO programs exist but vary widely by province and community, often emphasizing collaboration and prevention over enforcement. For instance, in Manitoba, the Winnipeg School Division’s SRO program, established in 2002, involves 11 officers across 107 schools. According to a 2018 report from Public Safety Canada, their duties blend public safety education, relationship-building, and law enforcement, but the focus leans heavily on fostering trust between police, youth, and communities rather than maintaining a constant armed presence. Unlike the U.S., where SROs are often stationed in schools full-time, Canadian programs, like those in Ontario may involve officers visiting schools for proactive or educational purposes rather than being a daily fixture.

Training in Canada also reflects this softer approach. The Winnipeg program requires SROs to complete the NASRO Basic Training (similar to the U.S.), but it’s supplemented with local courses like Winnipeg Police Service’s Effective Presentation and Cross-Cultural Communication Training. This contrasts with the U.S., where the Education Week article notes that only 39% of SROs surveyed in 2018 had training on child trauma, and many felt unprepared. A 2015 study by Carleton University researchers on the Peel Regional Police SRO program in Ontario found that officers received specialized training in youth engagement and conflict resolution, aiming to de-escalate rather than enforce. This aligns with Canada’s broader community policing ethos, which prioritizes partnership over surveillance, a nuance the U.S. article questions in its discussion of whether SROs can truly balance mentoring and law enforcement.

Effectiveness is where the comparison gets really interesting. In the U.S., studies like Weisburst’s 2019 research in Texas show SROs linked to a 6% rise in middle school disciplinary rates and lower graduation rates, particularly for students of color. In contrast, Canadian research is less conclusive but suggests a lighter touch. A 2014 formative evaluation of Winnipeg’s SRO program by Kaplan Research Associates found positive perceptions among students and staff, with officers seen as resources for problem-solving rather than disciplinarians. However, hard data on crime reduction or disciplinary outcomes is sparse, partly because Canadian SROs are less ubiquitous; only a fraction of schools have them compared to the 45% in the U.S.

One example that stands out is the response to school safety concerns. After the 2018 Parkland shooting, Florida saw a sharp increase in SROs in elementary schools, as noted in the article. In Canada, high-profile incidents like the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre led to broader gun control measures rather than a rush to place officers in schools. This reflects a systemic difference: while the U.S. often turns to SROs as a visible safety measure, Canada leans toward policy and community-based solutions, with SROs as a supplementary tool.

Both models grapple with trade-offs, though. The U.S. article highlights the tension between safety benefits and disciplinary harms, a concern echoed in Canada but less pronounced due to the programs’ smaller scale and preventive focus. For instance, the Peel study noted that while SROs built trust with students, some minority youth still felt over-policed, hinting at similar equity challenges as in the U.S., just on a quieter scale.

In wrapping up, it’s fascinating to see how the U.S. and Canadian approaches to SROs share a common goal; safe schools, but diverge in execution. The U.S. model, with its heavier law enforcement presence and mixed outcomes, contrasts with Canada’s more restrained, relationship-driven approach. Research like Sorensen’s in the U.S. and evaluations in Winnipeg suggest that effectiveness depends on context; how SROs are trained, deployed, and perceived. Perhaps there’s something each could learn from the other: Canada might benefit from clearer data on outcomes, while the U.S. could explore a gentler balance of roles. It’s a conversation worth having.

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