Skip to Main Content

School Resource Officer

The School Resource Officer (SRO) program is a nationally recognized initiative dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive educational environment. The SRO serves as a crucial asset to the Long County School System and the broader community, offering an essential non-judicial forum for addressing student-related situations.

Program History and Expansion

The Long County SRO program was initially established in the High School and Middle School in 2006. In response to evolving national safety concerns, Sheriff Craig W. Nobles and the Long County Board of Education expanded the program for the 2022 school year to ensure the consistent, high-profile presence of a certified law enforcement officer in every Long County school. This proactive measure is designed to maximize the safety and security of all students, faculty, and staff.

The Role of the School Resource Officer

The SRO, while maintaining their official law enforcement capacity, performs a variety of functions centered on prevention, education, and resource provision.

  • Law Enforcement and Safety: The SRO ensures a secure campus and responds to incidents as a trained, active law enforcement officer.

  • Resource and Liaison: The SRO serves as a vital resource for students, parents, teachers, and administrators regarding law-related matters. Furthermore, the SRO acts as an essential link to external service agencies, facilitating access to preventive and counseling services within the school district.

  • Partnership: Working collaboratively with the building Principal, the SRO assists in developing and implementing solutions to complex issues impacting school-age children.

Proactive Approach to Youth Challenges

The SRO program represents a proactive, unified strategy to address the contemporary pressures facing young people both on campus and in the community. These challenges include, but are not limited to, substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, and tobacco), peer pressure, gang-related activity, and high-risk behaviors.

Recognizing the ineffectiveness of isolated interventions, the SRO program ensures that the traditional separation between law enforcement and the school system is replaced by an integrated, interagency partnership. This unified approach is key to developing long-term strategies that enhance student well-being and community safety.

Long County Middle School / McClelland Elementary School
Earl Freeman - Lieutenant

Zach Thorn - SRO

Long County Pre-K / Alternative School 
Timothy Osburn - SRO

Long County High School
Wade Long - SRO

Smiley Elementary School
Jessi Thompson - SRO