SRO Drug & Violence Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An SRO notices a student exhibiting pinpoint pupils, slowed breathing, and extreme drowsiness between classes. Which substance does this presentation most strongly suggest?
- Methamphetamine
- Opioids (Correct answer)
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
Correct answer: Opioids
Pinpoint (miotic) pupils, respiratory depression, and sedation are classic signs of opioid intoxication.
Question 2: Under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools framework, which intervention strategy focuses on changing the school environment rather than targeting individual students?
- Selective prevention
- Universal prevention (Correct answer)
- Indicated prevention
- Tertiary intervention
Correct answer: Universal prevention
Universal prevention targets the entire school population and environment without singling out specific individuals.
Question 3: A student discloses that a classmate has been bringing a weapon to school to 'handle' a bully. What is the SRO's FIRST action?
- Interview the bully immediately
- Notify school administration and initiate a threat assessment (Correct answer)
- Detain the student who made the disclosure
- Search the classmate's locker without notification
Correct answer: Notify school administration and initiate a threat assessment
Notifying administration and starting a structured threat assessment is the proper first step to manage the risk safely.
Question 4: The DARE program has largely been replaced or reformed because research found it:
- Was too expensive to implement in public schools
- Had little long-term effect on reducing student drug use (Correct answer)
- Caused students to become more curious about drugs
- Violated student privacy rights under FERPA
Correct answer: Had little long-term effect on reducing student drug use
Multiple studies, including a 2003 GAO report, found DARE had minimal lasting impact on drug use rates.
Question 5: Which federal law requires schools receiving federal funds to have a zero-tolerance policy for firearms on school grounds?
- Gun Control Act of 1968
- Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994 (Correct answer)
- Safe Schools Improvement Act
- Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
Correct answer: Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994
The Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994 mandates a one-year expulsion for students who bring firearms to school.
Question 6: A student is found with a small amount of marijuana but claims it belongs to a friend. Under most school district policies, how should the SRO treat this situation?
- Release the student since possession is unproven
- Charge only the alleged owner
- Hold the student in possession accountable because the substance was on their person (Correct answer)
- Issue a verbal warning and notify parents only
Correct answer: Hold the student in possession accountable because the substance was on their person
Constructive possession principles hold individuals responsible for contraband found on their person or in their control.
Question 7: When conducting a threat assessment, the SRO should distinguish between a 'transient' threat and a 'substantive' threat. A substantive threat is best described as:
- Any verbal statement made in anger that is quickly retracted
- A threat reflecting serious intent that requires a safety plan (Correct answer)
- A rumor spread through social media with no identifiable source
- A threat made off school grounds without school involvement
Correct answer: A threat reflecting serious intent that requires a safety plan
A substantive threat indicates genuine intent or planning and requires a formal safety response plan.
SRO Drug & Violence Prevention 2
An SRO notices a student exhibiting pinpoint pupils, slowed breathing, and extreme drowsiness between classes.
Which substance does this presentation most strongly suggest?