SRO and the 4th Amendment - Mini Course

Being an officer in a school setting comes with unique challenges and responsibilities. Balancing your role as a cop while respecting students’ rights is key to building trust and staying effective. This course helps you navigate the legal issues that arise when working as a School Resource Officer (SRO). In SRO and the Fourth Amendment, you’ll learn how the law applies to searches in schools, how to differentiate your role from that of school staff, and how to handle K9 sniffs and metal detectors in a way that respects students’ rights. What You’ll Learn Private Search vs. Government SearchUnderstand when a private search becomes a government search and how that affects your actions. School Official vs. CopLearn the key differences between being a school staff member and a law enforcement officer, and how that shapes your legal authority. Metal Detectors in SchoolsDetermine whether using metal detectors on all students counts as a search under the Fourth Amendment.