By Police1 Staff
HOOVER, Ala. — February 15 is now National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, declared the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) on Tuesday. Next week, schools across the country will be encouraged to celebrate the contributions of their school resource officers.
“Law Enforcement Appreciation Day has existed since 2015, but to our knowledge, no one has ever declared a date to specifically honor SROs nationwide,” said NASRO executive director Mo Canady in a statement. “As the only national organization of SROs in the U.S., with more than 4,500 member SROs, it’s appropriate for us to establish a day for that purpose.”
According to NASRO, February 15 was chosen because it’s the birthdate of founding member Archie Hodge – the only founder still active in the organization. Hodge retired in 2006 after serving as an SRO for 22 years.
The NASRO believes SROs serve as important bridges between youth, law enforcement and community. The organization describes its members as “valuable and essential members of the education community” who “deserve unwavering respect and support from the public in the pursuit of keeping schools and students safe.”
Read more about National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day here.