SRO Drug & Violence Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An SRO receives a tip that students are vaping in school bathrooms. Which of the following is the most legally sound initial step?
- Conduct a suspicionless sweep of all students
- Increase monitoring presence and investigate based on reasonable suspicion (Correct answer)
- Install surveillance cameras inside bathroom stalls
- Conduct random drug tests of all students immediately
Correct answer: Increase monitoring presence and investigate based on reasonable suspicion
Reasonable suspicion — not random or suspicionless searches — is the constitutional standard for school searches under New Jersey v. T.L.O.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'broken windows' theory as applied to school violence prevention?
- Installing shatter-proof windows reduces campus injuries
- Tolerating minor disorder leads to escalation of more serious misconduct (Correct answer)
- Schools with older buildings experience more violent incidents
- Visible police presence through windows deters outside threats
Correct answer: Tolerating minor disorder leads to escalation of more serious misconduct
Broken windows theory holds that ignoring small infractions signals tolerance for larger violations, escalating disorder over time.
Question 3: A student reports that another student made a specific, detailed online threat against the school the night before. The SRO should:
- Wait until the student arrives at school to question them
- Treat it as a credible threat, notify administration, and coordinate with law enforcement to locate the student (Correct answer)
- Delete the post and document it for the school file
- Have the reporting student print the post and submit it to the office
Correct answer: Treat it as a credible threat, notify administration, and coordinate with law enforcement to locate the student
Specific, detailed threats require immediate multi-agency response; waiting for the student to arrive could allow harm to occur.
Question 4: Fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills have become a major campus safety concern because they:
- Are easily identified by their distinctive blue color
- Can cause fatal overdose even in very small amounts (Correct answer)
- Only affect students with prior opioid dependence
- Are legal to possess in states with medical marijuana laws
Correct answer: Can cause fatal overdose even in very small amounts
Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine, and a tiny amount can cause respiratory arrest.
Question 5: Which bystander intervention model trains students to safely interrupt situations that could lead to violence without putting themselves at risk?
- Stop-It Program
- Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
- Green Dot Bystander Intervention (Correct answer)
- Second Step Violence Prevention
Correct answer: Green Dot Bystander Intervention
Green Dot is specifically designed around empowering bystanders to intervene safely in situations that could escalate to violence.
Question 6: During a school lockdown, the SRO's primary responsibility inside the building is to:
- Escort students to their homes immediately
- Locate and neutralize the threat while coordinating with arriving law enforcement (Correct answer)
- Conduct press briefings in the main lobby
- Distribute emergency supplies to classrooms
Correct answer: Locate and neutralize the threat while coordinating with arriving law enforcement
The SRO's first duty during an active threat is to address the threat while supporting the coordinated law enforcement response.
Question 7: Which of the following is a documented early warning sign of potential school violence that an SRO should report to the threat assessment team?
- A student who frequently stays after school for tutoring
- A student who expresses hopelessness and talks about having no reason to live (Correct answer)
- A student who transfers from another school mid-year
- A student who reads frequently during lunch breaks
Correct answer: A student who expresses hopelessness and talks about having no reason to live
Expressions of hopelessness and statements about having no reason to live are recognized early warning signs linked to both self-harm and targeted violence.
SRO Drug & Violence Prevention 3
An SRO receives a tip that students are vaping in school bathrooms.
Which of the following is the most legally sound initial step?