SRO Crisis Intervention & Conflict Resolution 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student experiencing a dissociative episode due to PTSD appears unresponsive and disconnected during class. The SRO responding should:
- Physically guide the student out of the classroom immediately
- Use grounding techniques such as asking the student to name five things they can see (Correct answer)
- Speak loudly and firmly to re-engage the student's attention
- Assume substance use and conduct a field sobriety assessment
Correct answer: Use grounding techniques such as asking the student to name five things they can see
Grounding techniques help a dissociating person reconnect to the present environment and are the evidence-based first response.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes the 'ICAT' (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) framework used in crisis response?
- A physical restraint protocol for violent individuals
- A decision-making model that integrates communication skills with tactical options to resolve crises safely (Correct answer)
- A documentation system for post-incident reporting
- A team-based approach requiring at least three officers to activate
Correct answer: A decision-making model that integrates communication skills with tactical options to resolve crises safely
ICAT is a decision-making framework that balances communication and de-escalation with appropriate tactical options to resolve crises with minimal force.
Question 3: A student involved in a gang confrontation off-campus brings that conflict to school. The SRO's FIRST step in addressing this should be:
- Arrest both students as a preemptive safety measure
- Gather intelligence, separate involved parties, and consult with administration on a safety plan (Correct answer)
- Issue trespass warnings to students from the opposing group
- Notify local law enforcement and defer the matter entirely to them
Correct answer: Gather intelligence, separate involved parties, and consult with administration on a safety plan
Gathering intelligence and separating parties while coordinating a safety plan addresses the immediate threat while using a collaborative school-law enforcement approach.
Question 4: During a de-escalation interaction, an SRO maintains open body language, avoids crossing their arms, and keeps their hands visible. This primarily communicates:
- That the officer is unarmed and poses no threat
- Non-threatening intent and openness to dialogue (Correct answer)
- Submission to the student's demands
- That the SRO is following a prescribed physical protocol
Correct answer: Non-threatening intent and openness to dialogue
Open body language signals non-threatening intent and willingness to engage in dialogue, which reduces defensiveness in the other person.
Question 5: A peer conflict escalates because both students believe the other started the argument. An SRO using interest-based negotiation would focus on:
- Establishing a timeline of who provoked whom first
- Identifying each student's underlying needs and concerns rather than their stated positions (Correct answer)
- Determining which student's account is more credible
- Issuing an equal consequence to both parties to appear fair
Correct answer: Identifying each student's underlying needs and concerns rather than their stated positions
Interest-based negotiation shifts focus from positions ('you started it') to underlying needs, enabling creative solutions that address both parties.
Question 6: After a large-scale school crisis such as a lockdown, which of the following should be part of the SRO's follow-up responsibilities?
- Avoid discussing the event to prevent re-traumatization
- Participate in debriefs, identify students showing stress reactions, and support reconnection efforts (Correct answer)
- File a comprehensive incident report and consider the matter closed
- Return immediately to routine patrol to restore a sense of normalcy
Correct answer: Participate in debriefs, identify students showing stress reactions, and support reconnection efforts
Post-crisis follow-up includes debriefs, monitoring for trauma reactions, and supporting reconnection — all essential components of a comprehensive crisis response.
Question 7: An SRO is working with a student who has repeatedly been involved in conflicts and is resistant to intervention. Which approach is MOST likely to build engagement over time?
- Increasing disciplinary consequences until behavior changes
- Building a consistent, trusting relationship through regular non-disciplinary contact (Correct answer)
- Referring the student exclusively to counselors and withdrawing SRO involvement
- Documenting each incident to build a case for alternative placement
Correct answer: Building a consistent, trusting relationship through regular non-disciplinary contact
Consistent non-disciplinary contact builds the relational trust necessary for resistant students to engage with interventions over time.
SRO Crisis Intervention & Conflict Resolution 5
A student experiencing a dissociative episode due to PTSD appears unresponsive and disconnected during class.
The SRO responding should: