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pdf2019 SLEPS OMB Attachments
Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA survey
Attachment 2: SLEPS Officer roster form
Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO survey
Attachment 4: 60-day notice
Attachment 5: 30-day notice
Attachment 6: Rights4Girls comments
Attachment 7: Campaign for Youth Justice’s comments
Attachment 8: Southern Poverty Law Center’s comments
Attachment 9: Pre-test report
Attachment 10: LEA pre-notification letter
Attachment 11: LEA survey invitation letter
Attachment 12: PERF letter of support
Attachment 13: LEA 1st reminder (letter)
Attachment 14: LEA 2nd reminder (postcard)
Attachment 15: LEA 3rd reminder (email)
Attachment 16: LEA 4th reminder (letter)
Attachment 17: LEA nonresponse telephone prompting script
Attachment 18: LEA 5th reminder (email)
Attachment 19: LEA end-of-study letter
Attachment 20: LEA thank you letter
Attachment 21: SRO POC invitation letter
Attachment 22: SRO invitation letter
Attachment 23: NASRO letter of support
Attachment 24: SRO POC reminder email
Attachment 25: SRO POC reminder letter
Attachment 26: SRO reminder letter
Attachment 27: SRO POC nonresponse telephone prompting script
Attachment 28: SRO POC end-of-study letter
Attachment 29: SRO POC thank you letter
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
OMB No. 1121-XXXX: Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2019 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) Survey
In correspondence about this survey, please refer to the Agency ID number printed below. (Please correct any error in
name and mailing address in the box below. If the information is correct, please check the box in the bottom right hand
corner.)
Agency ID:
Password:
Name:
Title:
Agency:
The information is correct
INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY
Name
Title
Telephone
Fax
Email
INSTRUCTIONS
•
•
This survey should be completed by a representative who is most knowledgeable about your agency’s employment of
and policies regarding law enforcement officers working in schools.
This survey uses the following terms and definitions:
o
School Resource Officer (SRO): a sworn law enforcement officer who is assigned to work in any public K-12 school.
o
SRO program: your agency’s employment of one or more sworn law enforcement officer(s) assigned to work in any
public K-12 school.
•
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (34 U.S.C. § 10132), authorizes this information
collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate,
and timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.
•
If you have any questions about this survey, visit the SLEPS web site at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 or contact Dustin
Williams at RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
BURDEN STATEMENT
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of
information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau
of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531.
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Which best describes your agency? Mark only one.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify):__________________________________________________________
2.
As of September 1, 2019, how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers were employed by your
agency? ______
3.
Does your agency employ any officers that are primarily assigned to work in any public K-12 school?
Yes
No
Go to Question 4
This completes your response. Please return your survey to RTI.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS
4.
In what year did your agency start assigning officers to public schools? ______________
5.
As of September 1, 2019, what are the funding sources for your SRO program? Mark all that apply.
6.
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
How many of the following public schools, including charter schools, are served by your SRO program?
Type of public school:
Number
a. Elementary schools (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 8)
b. Middle schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 9)
c. High schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher
than grade 12)
d. Combined schools (e.g., K-8, K-12)
7.
Does your SRO program also serve private schools?
Yes
No
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
8.
Do the majority of officers in your SRO program serve on a single permanent assignment (i.e., only serve as an SRO)
or rotate to other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
SRO POLICIES AND ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES
9.
Does your agency have a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program?
Yes
No
10. With how many entities (school districts and/or individual schools) does your agency have an agreement (e.g.,
memorandum of understanding, contractual or verbal agreement, legislation)? Enter the number of entities by
type of agreement in the table below.
Number with formal
agreement
in place
Number with no formal
agreement
in place
School districts
Not applicable
(Independent School
District Police Department)
Individual schools
If your agency does not have a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program (Question 9 was ‘No’)
and does not have any formal agreements in place (you put ‘0’ in Question 10 in the formal agreement
column), go to Question 13.
11. Which of the following best describes the type of agreement in place between your agency and the school/school
district served by the majority of your SROs? Mark only one.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other (please specify): ___________________________
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
12. Are the following SRO program characteristics specified in either your internal departmental policy or in the formal
agreement between your agency and the school/school district served by the majority of your SROs?
SRO program characteristic:
Yes
No
a. Expectations for SROs when working with students
b. Expectations regarding citations and arrests by SROs
c. Expectations regarding collaboration between school officials and SROs
d. Goals of the SRO program
e. Number of officers in your SRO program
f.
g. Procedures for resolving disagreements between school officials and SROs
h. Requirement of regular meetings between school officials and SROs
i.
Responsibilities/duties of the school
j.
Role of SROs with school discipline
k. Schedule (e.g., before the school day begins, the full school day, etc.) that officers in your
SRO program will spend at school
l.
m. Use of firearms
n. Use of less-lethal equipment
Primary functions (e.g., law enforcement, teaching, mentoring/counseling) of SROs
Supervision or administrative control of SROs
13. Are SROs required to inform school executive staff about any of the following actions occurring on a school
campus?
Action:
Yes
No
a. Arrest of school employee during school hours
b. Arrest of student during school hours
c. Conduct criminal investigation
d. Question school employees during school hours
e. Question students during school hours
f.
g. Search student
h.
Use of firearms
i.
Use of less-lethal equipment
j.
Use of restraint on student that does not result in arrest
Search premises
14. Are SROs allowed to conduct interviews of students outside the presence of a parent or guardian without first
obtaining permission from a parent or guardian?
Yes
No
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
SRO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION
15. Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires SROs?
Yes
No
Go to Question 17
16. How does the school participate? Mark all that apply.
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a “good fit”
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
17. How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Mark all that apply.
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired specifically to be SROs)
Through an application process from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
18. How often do supervisors visit schools to observe SROs?
At least once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
Never
Other (please specify):__________________________________________________________
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
19. Does your agency have access to data (e.g., number or type of incident) on any of the following measures related
to SRO activities in the schools they serve?
Activity:
Yes
No
a. Arrests made by SRO
b. Citations issued by SRO
c. Classes/programs taught by SRO
d. Mentoring activities performed by SRO
e. Mentoring of faculty/staff performed by SRO
f.
g. Property crimes reported at school
h. Reports of violence at school
i.
Substance violations recorded at school (e.g., possession, use, buying/selling)
j.
Suspensions recorded at school
Mentoring of parents/community performed by SRO
k. Use of force incidents
SRO STAFFING
20. As of September 1, 2019, how many of the following personnel are primarily assigned to any public K-12 schools?
Type of personnel:
Number
a. Sworn officers
b. Nonsworn employees
c. Total
SWORN SROs
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR THE SWORN OFFICERS WHO SERVE YOUR SRO PROGRAM.
21. Please provide the number of sworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex. The total number should
match the number provided in Question 19a.
Race/Hispanic origin:
Male
Female
Total
a. White, non-Hispanic
b. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
e. Asian, non-Hispanic
f.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL (SUM OF A-H)
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
22. Do the sworn officers who are primarily assigned to public K-12 schools…
Characteristic:
All
Some
None
a. have arrest powers?
b. receive specialized SRO training?
If none of your agency’s sworn officers who are primarily assigned to schools receive specialized SRO training,
go to Question 24.
23. Do any of the following entities provide SRO-specific training to sworn officers in your agency?
Entity:
Yes
No
a. Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
b. School district
c. State organization
d. National organization (i.e., National Association of School Resource Officers)
e. Other (please specify): __________________________
TRAINING TOPICS REQUIRED FOR SWORN SROs
24. On which of the following law enforcement topics are sworn SROs required to receive training? Please include both
training provided to all sworn officers and training provided specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic:
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
d. Responding to incidents in the classroom
e. Social media monitoring
f.
Use of deadly force
g. Use of less-lethal force
25. On which of the following prevention and planning topics are sworn SROs required to receive training? Please
include both training provided to all sworn officers and training provided specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, and
distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f.
Truancy intervention
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
26. On which of the following social and behavioral topics are sworn SROs required to receive training? Please include
both training provided to all sworn officers and training provided specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topic:
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
g. Trauma-informed practices
h. Working with students with disabilities
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY SWORN SROs
27. Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on
duty. Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement
with schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing criminal citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
f.
g. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
h. Social media monitoring
Responding to incidents in the classroom
28. Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on duty.
Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
29. Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on duty. Only
mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, and
distracted driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty/staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
30. Which of the following equipment are issued to sworn SROs by your agency and which are allowed while on the
school campus? Mark only one per row.
Issued by agency
Not issued by agency
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
a. Uniform
b. Firearm
c. Baton/nightstick
d. Body-worn camera
e. Conducted energy device (e.g., Taser)
f.
g. Hobble restraints
h. OC Spray/foam
i.
Item:
Handheld metal detector wand
Other (please specify): __________________________
31. In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers from your jurisdiction who
are assigned to work in K-12 public schools. We will use this list to randomly select some of these individual
officers to receive a survey about activities they perform. Included on the form is guidance for anonymizing the list
of officers should you prefer not to provide direct identification of the officers.
A copy of the survey that will be sent to selected SROs is available for your review at https://bjslecs.org/SROPreview.pdf.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes
No
Go to Question 32 and please complete the Officer Roster Form.
Please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information and return your survey to RTI:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Attachment 1: SLEPS LEA Survey
32. For purposes of administrating the officer survey, we would like to have a single point of contact to distribute the
officer survey. Please provide the following contact information for the person who will distribute the officer survey:
Name: ______________________________________________________________________
Title: __________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
_______________________________________
Phone: (______)______Email: __________________________________________
END
Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this survey. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Dustin Williams at
RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
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OMB No. 1121-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
Attachment 2: Officer Rostering Form
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2019 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
School Resource Officer Rostering Form
Please use the table on the following pages to list all of the sworn officers from your jurisdiction who are assigned to work in any K–12 public school. The total
number should match the totals provided in Questions 20a and 21 of the LEA survey. We will use this list to randomly select some officers to receive a survey
about activities performed by sworn law enforcement officers assigned to schools. This list will only be used for statistical purposes and will be kept confidential.
Options for listing officers:
• Provide the names and/or badge numbers of these officers.
• If your agency would prefer to provide information other than the name and badge number of these officers, please list an alias or other information
that you can use to identify these officers in the table below. Please keep a copy of the list linking the alias to the individuals so that you can distribute
the SRO-level survey to the sampled officers. We will send out the officer survey materials shortly after the due date of the agency-level survey.
It is estimated that it will take 10 minutes, on average, to complete this Rostering Form.
Please provide your completed Rostering Form by:
• using the enclosed Business Reply Envelope;
• faxing to RTI’s secure fax line at (XXX) XXX-XXX; or
• contacting Dustin Williams with RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 to make other arrangements.
If you have any questions, visit the SLEPS web site at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 or contact Dustin Williams at RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email
at sleps@rti.org.
INFORMED CONSENT
Description and Purpose of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS): SLEPS collects data on law enforcement agencies and school resource officers across the United
States. You have been selected from a scientific sample of approximately 2,000 law enforcement agencies from across the country.
Financial Considerations: There is no monetary incentive for completing the survey.
Possible Benefits and Risks: There are no direct benefits to you for participating in the survey. The potential exists for loss of privacy, though our procedures are designed to protect and secure your
information.
Statement of Consent: I have read the description of this survey provided above and I understand it. I have been informed of the risks and benefits involved, and all my questions have been
answered to my satisfaction. Furthermore, I have been assured that any future questions that I may have will also be answered. I freely and voluntarily agree to participate in SLEPS.
By completing this roster, I am indicating my agreement.
If you have more officers working in schools, please use the additional pages provided with this form.
OMB No. 1121-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
Officer’s Initials OR Other
Identifying Information
That
You Can Link Directly to
Each SRO
1.
Officer’s Rank
Attachment 2: Officer Rostering Form
Record the race/Hispanic origin of each SRO using the letter
corresponding to the correct category below:
A. White, non-Hispanic
B. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
C. Hispanic or Latino
D. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
E. Asian, non-Hispanic
F. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
G. Two or more races
H. Race/Hispanic origin not known
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
If you have more officers working in schools, please use the additional pages provided with this form.
Indicate whether each SRO
listed is male (M) or female (F)
OMB No. 1121-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
Officer’s Initials OR Other
Identifying Information
That
You Can Link Directly to
Each SRO
17.
Officer’s Rank
Attachment 2: Officer Rostering Form
Record the race/Hispanic origin of each SRO using the letter
corresponding to the correct category below:
A. White, non-Hispanic
B. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
C. Hispanic or Latino
D. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
E. Asian, non-Hispanic
F. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
G. Two or more races
H. Race/Hispanic origin not known
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
If you have more officers working in schools, please use the additional pages provided with this form.
Indicate whether each SRO
listed is male (M) or female (F)
OMB No. 1121-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
Officer’s Initials OR Other
Identifying Information
That
You Can Link Directly to
Each SRO
33.
Officer’s Rank
Attachment 2: Officer Rostering Form
Record the race/Hispanic origin of each SRO using the letter
corresponding to the correct category below:
A. White, non-Hispanic
B. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
C. Hispanic or Latino
D. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
E. Asian, non-Hispanic
F. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
G. Two or more races
H. Race/Hispanic origin not known
34.
35.
If you have more officers working in schools, please use the additional pages provided with this form.
Indicate whether each SRO
listed is male (M) or female (F)
Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
OMB No. 1121-XXXX: Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2019 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
School Resource Officer (SRO) Survey
In correspondence about this survey, please refer to the SRO ID number printed below.
SRO ID:
Password:
Agency:
INSTRUCTIONS
•
This survey should be completed by the selected sworn law enforcement officer who is assigned to work in any
public K–12 school. For the purposes of this survey, we will refer to the officer as an SRO.
•
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (34 U.S.C. § 10132), authorizes this information
collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate,
and timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.
•
If you have any questions about this survey, visit the SLEPS web site at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 or contact Dustin
Williams at RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
INFORMED CONSENT
Description and Purpose of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS): SLEPS collects data on law
enforcement agencies and school resource officers across the United States. You have been selected from a scientific
sample of approximately 4,100 School Resource Officers from across the country.
Financial Considerations: There is no monetary incentive for completing the survey.
Possible Benefits and Risks: There are no direct benefits to you for participating in the survey. The potential exists for loss of
privacy, though our procedures are designed to protect and secure your information.
Statement of Consent: I have read the description of this survey provided above and I understand it. I have been
informed of the risks and benefits involved, and all my questions have been answered to my satisfaction. Furthermore, I
have been assured that any future questions that I may have will also be answered. I freely and voluntarily agree to
participate in SLEPS.
By completing this survey, I am indicating my agreement to participate in SLEPS.
BURDEN STATEMENT
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information,
unless it displays a current valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes
per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC
20531.
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
SRO CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Approximately how many years have you served as a sworn law enforcement officer? Mark only one.
2.
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO in your career? Please count the total number of years
you’ve worked as an SRO even if you held other positions at times. Mark only one.
3.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Do you currently work as an SRO?
Yes
No Go to END
4.
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO at your current assignment? Mark only one.
5.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Is your assignment as an SRO a single permanent assignment (i.e., you only serve as an SRO) or do you rotate to
other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
6.
Are you currently certified by a national or state SRO association? Mark all that apply.
Yes – national association (i.e., National Association of School Resource Officers)
Yes – state association
No
7.
For what part of the year are you currently assigned as an SRO? Mark only one.
During part of the school year
During the full traditional school year
Year-round
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
8.
To how many schools are you currently assigned as an SRO? Please do not include schools where you might be
called in to help, but are not part of your official assignment.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more
9.
What is your age?
18-24 years old
25-34 years old
35-49 years old
50-65 years old
66 years old or older
10. What is your sex?
Male
Female
11. Are you Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino?
Yes
No
12. Please choose one or more races that you consider yourself to be:
White
Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Other (Please specify):___________________________________
SRO TRAINING
The next set of questions is about your training on law enforcement, prevention and planning, and social and
behavioral topics.
13. At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following law enforcement topics?
Law enforcement activity/topic:
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c.
d. Responding to incidents in the classroom
e. Social media monitoring
f.
Use of deadly force
g. Use of less-lethal force
Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
14. At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following prevention and planning topics?
Prevention and planning topic/activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
and distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c.
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f.
Crisis preparedness planning
Truancy intervention
15. At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following social and behavioral topics?
Social and behavioral topic:
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c.
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g.
Trauma-informed practices
Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
h. Working with students with disabilities
SRO ACTIVITIES
The next set of questions is about activities you performed in the past 30 days as part of your SRO duties. We
are interested in law enforcement, mentoring, and teaching activities.
16. As part of your SRO duties, which of the following law enforcement activities did you perform on or around school
grounds in the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Conducted interviews of students in the presence of a parent or guardian
Conducted interviews of students outside the presence of a parent or guardian
Conducted searches
Conducted security audits/assessments of school campuses
Conducted video surveillance/monitoring
Confiscated drugs
Confiscated weapons
Issued criminal citations
Made arrests
Monitored social media
Participated in crisis preparedness planning
Participated on a threat assessment team
Patrolled school facilities
Responded to calls for service on the school campus
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
Responded to incidents in the classroom
Other (please specify):
None of the above
17. As part of your SRO duties, which of the following mentoring activities did you perform on or around school grounds
in the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Advised school staff, students, or families (one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
Coached athletic programs
Field trip chaperone
Participated in positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
Supervised/coordinated non-athletic extracurricular activities
Truancy intervention
Other (please specify):
None of the above
18. As part of your SRO duties, which of the following teaching activities did you perform on or around school grounds in
the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, and distracted driving)
Conflict resolution
Faculty/staff in-service presentations
Parent organization presentations
Other (please specify):
None of the above
19. Approximately what percentage of your duty time was spent on the following in-school activities over the
past 30 days? If you do not perform an activity, enter “0”. The total of all activities should be 100%.
Percentage
(out of 100)
Activity:
a. Conducting law enforcement activities
b. Conducting mentoring activities with students/staff/families
c.
Conducting teaching activities
d. Completing administrative functions/paperwork related to the above activities
e. Other (please specify):
Total
Page 5 of 8
100%
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
20. During the past 12 months, have you arrested any student(s) for the following offenses?
Offense:
Yes
No
a. Assault on school staff/faculty/security/SROs
b. Disorderly conduct
c.
d. Drug possession
e. Electronic/social media crimes (e.g., cyberbullying, sexting)
f.
g. Fighting
h. Theft
i.
Threats against faculty
j.
Threats against school facility
k. Threats against students
l.
m. Weapon use
n. Other (please specify):
Drug distribution
Failure to obey a police officer
Weapon possession
21. If you are in a situation where you arrest a student, what role does the school administration play in your arrest
decision? Mark only one.
No impact, as arrest determination is made solely by myself or other sworn personnel
Memorandum of understanding or other agreement specifies situations where the school can have
influence over my arrest decisions
School administration reviews all arrest-eligible incidents and can provide input regarding my arrest decision
SROs do not have arrest powers in my assigned school
Other (please specify): __________________________
22. Do you speak any language other than English?
Yes (Please specify):
No Go to Question 24
23. Is this other language useful when interacting with students in the school to which you are assigned?
Yes
No
Page 6 of 8
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Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
PRIMARILY ASSIGNED SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS
The next set of questions focuses on the school to which you are primarily assigned. If you are assigned to more than
one school, please answer based on the school where you spend most of your time. If your time is split evenly between
2 or more schools, please answer based on the school you worked in most recently.
24. Which type of school do you primarily serve in your current assignment as an SRO? Mark only one.
Elementary school (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8)
Middle school (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9)
High school (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12)
Combined school (e.g., K–8, K–12)
25. On average, how many hours per week do you work at this school?
26. Are there known gangs at the school to which you are primarily assigned?
Yes
No
Don’t know
27. Not counting yourself, how many SROs share your shift at the school to which you are primarily assigned?
28. Do you usually carry any of the following equipment in the school to which you are primarily assigned?
Item:
Yes
No
a. Firearm
b. Baton/nightstick
c.
d. OC Spray/foam
e. Other (please specify): ____________________________________
Conducted energy device (e.g., Taser)
29. Other than SROs, what security measures are in place at the school to which you are primarily assigned? Mark all
that apply or mark "None of the above."
Closed campus (students not allowed to leave during school hours without permission)
Controlled access to school buildings during school hours (e.g., locked or monitored doors)
Controlled access to school grounds during school hours (e.g., locked or monitored gates)
Metal detectors
Random sweeps for contraband (e.g., drugs or weapons), including dog sniffs
School-issued student IDs
School security guards, nonsworn
Security camera(s) to monitor school buildings and/or grounds
Structured anonymous threat reporting system (e.g., online submission, text messaging, or telephone hotline)
Student dress code/uniform
Other security measures not listed (please specify):
None of the above
Page 7 of 8
<>
Attachment 3: SLEPS SRO Survey
30. We would like to obtain information about the school to which you are primarily assigned by linking to data that
have been collected about that school in other surveys. In order to access information about the school, we will need
to know the name of the school. If you are assigned to more than one school, please answer based on the school
where you spend most of your time. If your time is split evenly between 2 or more schools, please answer based on
the school you worked in most recently.
We will only use the name of the school to access information collected from other surveys about its characteristics
(e.g., the size and composition of the student population) and will not release your data to any agency or individual
who is not directly involved with our research. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will use this information for
research purposes only.
What is the name and location of the school to which you are primarily assigned?
School Name
City
State
31. How long have you been working in that school?
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
END
Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this survey. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Dustin Williams at
RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
Page 8 of 8
<>
Attachment 4: SLEPS 60-day notice
Attachment 5: SLEPS 30-day notice
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Attachment 6: Rights4Girls comments
April 22, 2019
Law Enforcement Statistics
Bureau of Justice Statistics
810 Seventh Street NW
Washington, DC 20531
Attn: Elizabeth Davis
RE: Comments to Bureau of Justice Statistics Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools
Dear Ms. Davis,
Rights4Girls submits this comment in response to the Bureau for Justice Statistics’ request for
comments (84 Fed. Reg. 5504, dated February 21, 2019) on the Survey of Law Enforcement
Personnel in Schools (SLEPS).
Rights4Girls is a human rights organization working to end gender-based violence in the United
States. Based in Washington, D.C., we advocate for the dignity and rights of young women and
girls through policy reform and advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels, coalitionbuilding, public awareness campaigns, research, and training and technical assistance. Over the
past several years, we have been actively involved in efforts to reform the juvenile justice
system and prevent girls impacted by physical and sexual abuse from falling victim to the Abuse
to Prison Pipeline.1 The Abuse to Prison Pipeline refers to the pathways by which girls are
pushed into the juvenile justice system after experiencing gendered violence—which accounts
for the vast majority of justice-involved girls. Being pushed out of school is one such pathway.
In particular, Black girls are increasingly being referred to the juvenile justice system as a result
of school discipline policies that criminalize them for normal adolescent behavior, for
expressing themselves,2 or for minor misbehaviors that could be addressed within the school
1
Saar, M.S., Epstein, R., Rosenthal, L., and Vafa, Y., The Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline: The Girls’ Story
(Rights4Girls, Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, Ms. Foundation, 2015).
2
Smith-Evans, L. et al., Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call to Action for Educational Equity
(NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. & The National Women’s Law Center, 2014), p. 19; Lazar, K. Black
Malden Charter Students Punished for Braided Hair Extensions (BOSTON GLOBE, May 12, 2017),
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/05/11/black-students-malden-school-who-wear-braids-facepunishment-parents-say/stwdlbscjhw1zocuwr1qmp/story.html.
system.3 Several studies indicate that Black girls are susceptible to stricter punishments
because they are perceived as “less innocent”.4 In addition, some girls adopt a more aggressive
response to the trauma they have experienced. 5 Unfortunately, when a girl responds to
trauma or violence in such a manner she is more likely to be labeled deviant and face discipline
for failing to meet gender expectations.6 Girls are often disciplined for dress code or behavior
violations that result from implicit and explicit gender bias, including on the part of school
resource officers (SROs).7 In fact, several reports have found that the presence of SROs in
schools causes girls of color to be criminalized and lessens their sense of safety.8
Given that SROs interact with vulnerable students and are increasingly relied upon to address
student behaviors, it is imperative to determine whether SROs have been trained on trauma,
specifically how trauma impacts children’s behaviors and ways to respond to children that are
trauma-informed.9 Yet, while both the survey for law enforcement agencies (LEA) and the
survey for SROs ask whether SROs are trained on specific topics, trauma is not included on the
list.
Additionally, the entire purpose of training is that the knowledge and tools learned via the
training be put to use. However, neither survey asks information to help gauge whether or not
this is actually taking place. It is important that the SLEPS SRO survey include questions that will
help ascertain the effectiveness of the trainings SROs receive, including a question asking the
frequency with which they apply tools learned from trainings on specific topics, such as trauma.
To that end, it is critical that the section of the SLEPS SRO survey regarding SRO activities
3
Smith-Evans et al., supra note 2; Morris, M. Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (The New Press,
2015).
4
Crenshaw, K. et al., Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected, (African American Policy
Forum and Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies, 2014), p. 24; Epstein, R., Blake, J. and González, T.
Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood (Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality,
2017), p. 1. http://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/centers-institutes/poverty-inequality/upload/girlhoodinterrupted.pdf.
5
Many youth exhibit aggression due to mental illness and trauma. But because their symptoms of mental illness
are left undiagnosed and untreated, they are perceived as violent and threatening. Corbit, K. Inadequate and
Inappropriate Mental Health Treatment and Minority Overrepresentation in the Juvenile Justice System (3 Hastings
Race and Poverty Law Journal, 2005), p. 75.
6
Schaffner, L. Violence and Female Delinquency: Gender Transgressions and Gender Invisibility (14 Berkeley
Women's Law Journal, 1999), p. 40.
7
Morris, supra note 3, at 120-32.
8
Morris, M., Epstein R., Yusuf A. Be Her Resource: A Toolkit about School Resource Officers and Girls of Color
(National Black Women’s Justice Institute and Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, 2017); OnyekaCrawford A., Patrick K. and Chaudhry N. Let Her Learn: Stopping School Pushout for Girls of Color (National
Women’s Law Center, 2017), pp. 11-13.
9
Morris, M., et al., supra note 8.
include questions to determine how often the SRO de-escalates situations as well as how often
the SRO identifies responses to situations that are less punitive than arresting a child.
Finally, it is critical that the SLEPS LEA survey require agencies to report the number of officers
who had complaints filed against them whether by students, parents or school administrators.
Information regarding feedback from the schools they serve is essential to obtaining a more
thorough picture needed to gauge the impact SROs have on students and their schools.
Unaddressed trauma and mental health needs contribute to school discipline, schoolassociated arrests, and justice system involvement. As SROs are a direct link between students
and the justice system, it is vital that the surveys be expanded to seek the information
described above.
Respectfully,
Rights4Girls
Washington, DC
Attachment 7: Campaign for Youth Justice's comments
Elizabeth Davis, Statistician
Law Enforcement Statistics
Bureau of Justice Statistics
810 Seventh St. NW
Washington, DC 20531
Submitted via Email: Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov
RE: Comments Regarding the Bureau of Justice Statistics information collection
concerning the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools, OMB No. 1121NEW
Dear Ms. Davis:
On behalf of the Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ), we submit our suggestions for the Bureau
of Justice Statistics (BJS) information collection request concerning the Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). CFYJ is a national organization whose mission is to
end the practice of prosecuting, sentencing, and incarcerating youth under the age of 18 in the
adult criminal justice system. The strategic goals of CFYJ are to reduce the total number of
youth prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system and to decrease the harmful impact of
trying youth in adult court. We accomplish this through both federal and state-level advocacy by
urging lawmakers to pass laws to keep youth out of the adult criminal justice system. We support
the collection and use of data in assessing the effectiveness and repercussions of the use of law
enforcement in schools and encourage BJS to approach data collection in a way that will best
allow school officials, policymakers, and advocates to understand these effects.
Though the presence of law enforcement in schools has been increasing, there is no evidence that
their presence makes schools safer. While the duties of school resource officers (SROs) in
schools vary, they have increasingly been called upon to respond to school disciplinary incidents,
resulting in harsher consequences inflicted upon students for what is often normal childhood
behavior.1 Not only does the presence of law enforcement officials in school funnel students into
the juvenile justice system, but it also funnels youth to the adult criminal system. In Missouri, for
example, a statute went into effect in January 2017 that charges students who get into fights with
felonies.2 Students who get into fights in school or on school buses may wind up spending up to
four years in prison, paying fines, or be subjected to adult probation.3 Missouri recently raised
the age of criminal responsibility from 17 to 18, but until the law is fully implemented, 17-year1
Lauren A. Maddox, "His Wrists Were Too Small": School Resource Officers and the Over-Criminalization of
America's Students, 6 U. MIAMI RACE & SOC. JUST. L. REV. 193 (2016); Matthew T. Theriot & John G. Orme,
School Resource Officers and Students' Feelings of Safety at School, 14 YOUTH VIOLENCE & JUV. JUST. 130 (2016);
Bethany J. Peak, Militarization of School Police: One Route on the School-to-Prison-Pipeline, 68 U. ARK. L. REV.
195 (2015); Amanda Petteruti, Education Under Arrest: The Case Against Police in Schools, JUST. POL. INST. (Nov.
15, 2011), available at http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/3177?utm_source=%2fEducation
UnderArrest&utmmedium=web&utm_cam paign=redirect.
2
Carimah Townes, Missouri Dooms Countless Children to School-to-Prison Pipeline, THINK PROGRESS (Dec. 21,
2016, 6:03 PM), https://thinkprogress.org/missouri-school-felonies-d840e8ec7242/.
3
Id.
1
olds are still automatically excluded from juvenile court jurisdiction based solely on their age,4
meaning the statute increases the chances of youth ending up in the adult criminal justice system.
Further, given we know that black youth are “more likely to be transferred to adult facilities for
detention,” these types of laws disproportionately impact youth of color.5
Collecting and analyzing data related to law enforcement officers in schools is vital
to better understanding the harms posed to vulnerable student communities and assessing
whether there is a benefit to assigning law enforcement to schools. We offer several suggestions
below that would make the survey instrument a more useful and reliable source of information
on school policing and its effect on students.
1. Student Arrest and Referral Data Disaggregated by Race, Ethnicity, Gender,
Disability Status, and Offense
The agency-level survey should collect data on the number of students arrested by
law enforcement officers working in schools. This data should be disaggregated by race,
ethnicity, gender, and disability status. This will show whether students of a particular
race, gender, or disability status are being arrested at disproportionate rates. The data
should also be disaggregated by student offense, including each offense listed in Question
18 of the proposed 2019 SRO survey and the following additional offenses (which should
also be added to the list in Question 18 of the SRO survey): truancy, vandalism, alcohol
possession, tobacco possession, willful disobedience, and trespassing or loitering. The
survey should ask how many of these arrests resulted in a delinquency finding or adult
charges and a conviction. Collecting this information is important because students are
often arrested and referred for minor incidents.6
Additionally, the officer-level survey should ask about the number of students the officer
has referred to school administrations for suspension or expulsion in the previous twelve
months. This question should be structured similarly to the amended Question 18. Data
on the number of non-arrest school discipline incidents in which SROs are involved
4
JEREE THOMAS, RAISING THE BAR: STATE TRENDS IN KEEPING YOUTH OUT OF ADULT COURTS (2015-2017),
CAMPAIGN FOR YOUTH JUSTICE 8 (2017), available at
http://www.campaignforyouthjustice.org/images/StateTrends_Repot_FINAL.pdf.
5
Sarah E. Redfield & Jason P. Nance, School-to-Prison Pipeline: Preliminary Report, ABA 46 (Feb. 2016),
https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/diversity_pipeline/stp_preliminary_report_final.authc
heckdam.pdf
6
See, e.g., Kerrin Wolf, Booking Students: An Analysis of School Arrests and Court Outcomes, 9 NORTHWESTERN J.
OF LAW & SOCIAL POLICY 1 (2013) (finding that over 90% of school-based arrests in Delaware during the 20102011 school year were form misdemeanors); Phillip Kassel, et al., Let’s Stop Arresting Kids for Being Kids, BOSTON
GLOBE (Feb. 10, 2014), https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/02/10/let-stop-arresting-kids-for-beingkids/pFuP3MWcCR0T2Tl4rjG7IK/story.html (finding that in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, Massachusetts,
children are most often arrested for minor offenses, with more than half of misconduct arrests in Springfield being
for “disrespect”); Deanna Pan and Paul Bowers, Criminal Offense or Adolescent Misbehavior? ‘Disturbing Schools’
Blurs the Line, POST & COURIER (Aug. 5, 2016), https://www.postandcourier.com/archives/criminal- offense-oradolescent-misbehavior-disturbing-schools-blurs-the-line/article_dc56c01c-efe1-5bbb-bb73- 7d266cc72bc0.html
(Since 2001, in South Carolina there have been more than 29,000 referrals to the juvenile justice system for
“disturbing school”).
2
could help researchers examine the relationship between SRO presence and exclusionary
discipline practices. This data could also supplement the Department of Education’s
Office for Civil Rights data on school discipline, which is not disaggregated by whether
or not a school has an assigned SRO.
2. Training on Bias-free Policing and Constitutional Rights
Question 25 of the agency-level survey, which asks about the types of social and
behavior training that is offered by the agency to sworn SROs, should include bias-free
policing training. The same adjustment should be made to Question 13 of the officerlevel survey. Implicit bias is related to, but distinct from, cultural sensitivity and/or
cultural competency—one of the training topics listed in Question 25. Because implicit
bias contributes to racial disparities in school discipline, it is important for SROs to be
trained about bias-free policing and for the SLEPS data collection to gauge what
percentage of SROs are receiving training on bias-free policing.7 Question 23 of the
agency-level survey, which asks what law enforcement training topics are offered by the
agency to sworn SROs, should also include training on the civil or constitutional rights of
students. The same adjustment should be made to Question 11 of the officer-level survey.
3. Student Interview
The agency-level survey should ask if SROs are allowed to conduct interviews of
students outside of the presence of a parent and/or guardian without first obtaining
permission from the parent or guardian. This question could be placed after Question 13,
which asks whether SROs are required to inform school executive staff after performing
specific actions, including questioning students during school hours. The survey should
also ask whether officers have conducted interviews of students outside the presence of a
parent and/or guardian and, if so, how many such interviews they have conducted in the
previous twelve months.
4. Use of Force and Weapons
The survey must collect more data on the use of force and the use of weapons by SROs.
Research reveals the alarming number of excessive force complaints against SROs. Civil
rights groups have identified the lack of data on police use of force in schools as part of a
broader lack of accountability that makes it difficult for students and parents to see SROs
who use excessive force held accountable.8
7
See AJMEL QUERESHI, ET AL., LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, LOCKED OUT OF THE CLASSROOM: HOW IMPLICIT BIAS
CONTRIBUTES TO DISPARITIES IN SCHOOL DISCIPLINE (2017), available at https://www.naacpldf.org/files/aboutus/Bias_Reportv2017_30_11_FINAL.pdf.
8
P.R. Lockhart, The Parkland Shooting Fueled Calls for More School Police. Civil Rights Groups Want Them
Removed, VOX (Sept. 20, 2018), https://www.vox.com/identities/2018/9/20/17856416/school-discipline-policingblack-students-report.
3
While Question 29 on the agency-level survey asks whether various pieces of equipment
(including firearms, batons, conducted energy devices, and pepper spray) are issued by
the agency and whether those items are allowed on campus, neither survey asks whether
the SROs actually carry these items. The officer-level survey should include a question
asking whether the officers carry firearms, batons, conducted energy devices, pepper
spray, or other weapons.
Additionally, both surveys should include questions regarding use of force incidents and
complaints. The agency-level survey should include a reporting of the number of
incidents of force recorded by the agency for the prior twelve months. It should also ask
whether and, if so, how many, complaints have been filed regarding use of force by
officers who are assigned to schools. The agency-level survey should also ask if the
agency has a written policy concerning use of force by SROs. The officer-level survey
should include a question asking the SROs whether they have used force while on
assignment at a school and provide options for them to specify what type(s) of force they
have used. Officers should also report on how many officers are involved in each
incidence of force.
***
The above proposals will ensure that the SLEPS data collection is able to accurately and
completely record data that is of critical value to school officials, policymakers, and other
stakeholders in protecting the rights and safety of all students.
Thank you for considering these recommendations. If you have any questions, please do not
hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Rachel Marshall
Federal Policy Counsel
rmarshall@cfyj.org
Marcy Mistrett
Chief Executive Officer
mmistrett@cfyj.org
4
Attachment 8: Southern Poverty Law Center's comments
Attachment 9: Pre-test report
June 2018
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main
Data Collection Based on Lessons
Learned from the Pretest Conducted
November 2017–May 2018
DRAFT Report
Prepared for
Elizabeth Davis
Shelley Hyland
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Prepared by
Duren Banks
Alissa Chambers
Lance Couzens
Chris Ellis
Emilia Peytcheva
Venkat Yetukuri
RTI International
3040 E. Cornwallis Road
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
RTI Project Number 0214546.000.005.002
Contents
Section
1.
Law Enforcement Agency Survey
LEA Sampling Approach ............................................................................... 1
1.2
LEA Survey Administration ........................................................................... 2
1.4
1.2.1
Communication protocols ................................................................... 2
1.2.2
LEA response rate/patterns ................................................................ 3
1.2.3
Experience with paper and Web-based versions of the
questionnaire .................................................................................... 9
Rostering from LEA Survey Respondents ...................................................... 10
1.3.1
Consistency in items that measure the number of SROs ....................... 10
1.3.2
Preference for single POC or direct-to-officer survey distribution ........... 12
LEA Item-Level Measurements and Quality ................................................... 12
1.4.1
Item response patterns .................................................................... 12
1.4.2
Inconsistencies across items ............................................................. 13
SRO Survey
13
2.1
SRO Sampling Approach ............................................................................ 13
2.2
SRO Survey Administration ........................................................................ 14
2.3
3.
1
1.1
1.3
2.
Page
2.2.1
Communication protocols ................................................................. 14
2.2.2
SRO response rate/patterns ............................................................. 14
2.2.3
Findings from the single POC time tracking study ................................ 20
2.2.4
Experience with paper and Web-based versions of the
questionnaire .................................................................................. 22
SRO Item-Level Measurements and Quality .................................................. 23
2.3.1
Item response patterns .................................................................... 23
2.3.2
Inconsistencies across items ............................................................. 23
Recommendations for Main Data Collection
3.1
3.2
24
LEA Questionnaire Instrument .................................................................... 24
3.1.1
Drop questions about non-sworn officers ............................................ 24
3.1.2
Collect rank on rostering form .......................................................... 24
3.1.3
Respond to new state-level legislation to require a SRO in every
school (e.g., Florida, Maryland) ......................................................... 24
3.1.4
Reduce the number of response options for Question 13 ...................... 25
SRO Questionnaire Instrument ................................................................... 25
4
3.3
3.4
3.2.1
Add a screening question to ensure the sampled SRO is still serving
in an SRO capacity .......................................................................... 25
3.2.2
Consider adding demographic questions (e.g., race and gender) ........... 25
3.2.3
Reduce the number of response options to Question 8 ......................... 25
3.2.4
Consider removing Question 25 ........................................................ 25
System Recommendations ......................................................................... 25
3.3.1
Continuation of the pretest systems and programming
environments ................................................................................. 25
3.3.2
Development of a distinct data entry platform for main study
questionnaire entry ......................................................................... 26
Sampling Approach ................................................................................... 27
3.4.1
LEA ............................................................................................... 27
3.4.2
SRO .............................................................................................. 27
3.5
Timeline/Communication............................................................................ 28
3.6
Questionnaire Administration ...................................................................... 28
3.7
3.6.1
Web-based or paper forms ............................................................... 28
3.6.2
Single POC for SRO survey distribution instructions ............................. 28
3.6.3
One-page FAQ sheet about the SRO survey for the POCs ..................... 29
3.6.4
Expectations for burden and distribution method ................................. 29
3.6.5
Procedures if a sampled officer is no longer with the agency ................. 29
Recommended Timeline for Full Data Collection ............................................ 29
Appendices
A
B
LEA Questionnaire
SRO Questionnaire
5
Exhibits
Number
Page
Exhibit 1-1.
LEA Strata and Allocation for the 2017–18 Pretest ................................. 2
Exhibit 1-2.
LEA Response Pattern Over Time ........................................................ 3
Exhibit 1-3.
LEA Response by Agency Type ............................................................ 4
Exhibit 1-4.
LEA Response by Agency Size (CSLLEA SRO Count)............................... 5
Exhibit 1-5.
Count
Relationship between Frame SRO Count and SLEPS-Measured SRO
6
Exhibit 1-6.
Agency Type Distributions for Early and Late Responders ....................... 8
Exhibit 1-7.
Agency Size Distributions for Early and Late Responders ........................ 8
Exhibit 1-8.
Distribution of LEA Responses by Mode ................................................ 9
Exhibit 1-9.
LEA Paper Questionnaire Submission Errors .......................................... 9
Exhibit 1-10.
Average Percent Item Missingness and Average Standard Deviation
by Grid Question in the LEA Questionnaire ........................................................ 13
Exhibit 2-1.
LEA Response Pattern Over Time ...................................................... 15
Exhibit 2-2.
SRO Response by Agency Type ......................................................... 15
Exhibit 2-3.
SRO Response by Agency Size .......................................................... 16
Exhibit 2-4.
SRO Response by SRO Gender .......................................................... 16
Exhibit 2-5.
SRO Response by SRO Race ............................................................. 17
Exhibit 2-6.
SRO Response by SRO Survey Type of Contact ................................... 17
Exhibit 2-7.
P-Values from Chi-Square Tests of Association Between LEA and
SRO Characteristics ........................................................................................ 18
Exhibit 2-8.
POC Type Distributions for Early and Late Response Groups ................. 19
Exhibit 2-9.
Agency Size Distributions for Early and Late Response Groups .............. 19
Exhibit 2-10.
Findings from POC Time Tracking Study ............................................. 20
Exhibit 2-11.
Distribution of SRO Responses by Mode ............................................. 22
Exhibit 2-12.
SRO Paper Questionnaire Submission Errors ....................................... 22
Exhibit 2-13.
Average Percent Item Missingness and Average Standard Deviation
by Grid Question in the SRO Survey ................................................................. 23
Exhibit 3-1.
6
Recommended timeline for the full data collection ............................... 30
RTI International and its partner, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), conducted a
pretest of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). The pretest began
with the agency component of the data collection in November 2017 and concluded with the
close of the officer-level survey in May 2018. This report describes the process and findings
from the pretest administration and recommendations for the main data collection based on
the lessons learned.
The pretest and anticipated main data collection include two components. First, sampled law
enforcement agencies receive the law enforcement agency survey, which includes questions
about the agency, the number and characteristics of the SROs employed by the agency, and
the policies that the agency has in place to guide the work of the SROs. Next, law
enforcement agencies are asked to complete a roster form that uniquely identifies each fulltime sworn SRO that is employed by the agency at the time of the survey response. The
SRO roster is then used to select the sample for the SRO survey, which is the second
component of the pretest. Sampled SROs receive a questionnaire that asks about their
training, policies, and practices related to their work as an SRO.
The pretest was designed to test the survey methodology anticipated for the main data
collection and to develop recommendations for updates to the survey instruments
themselves and/or our procedures for sampling, contacting respondents, or otherwise
collecting the data.
This report describes each component of the pretest, including the sampling approach,
method of contacting, and response pattern analyses for the LEA component of the pretest
(Section1) and the SRO component (Section 2). Section 3 summarizes findings from the
pretest and recommendations to consider for the main data collection, including updates to
the survey instruments, proposed sampling approach, administration of both components,
and a timeline for the main data collection.
1. Law Enforcement Agency Survey
1.1
LEA Sampling Approach
For the SLEPS pretest, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were selected via stratified simple
random sample from the Law Enforcement Agency Roster-provided frame. Sampling strata
were determined exclusively by agency size category, with the number of school resource
officers (SROs) employed by the agency serving as the measure of size. Information on SRO
employment came either from the 2014 or 2008 Census of State and Local Law
Enforcement Agencies (CSLLEA), with the 2014 figure taking precedence when available.
Separate strata were included for agencies with unknown numbers of SROs and for agencies
believed to not employ SROs. A single agency—the New York City (NYC) Police
Department—was also included in its own self-representing stratum. Design of the LEA
sample emphasized qualitative assessment of feasibility rather than achieving power for
1
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
particular estimates or collection performance metrics. Exhibit 1-1 provides the overall
sample size (250 LEAs) and stratum allocations as provided to the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS).
Exhibit 1-1.
LEA Strata and Allocation for the 2017–18 Pretest
LEA Sampling Stratum
#LEAs on Frame
#LEAs Sampled for Pretest
1–5 SROs
4,882.0
124
6+ SROs
421.2
75
1.0
1
9,811.0
10
Unk SROs
637.0
40
Total
16,067
250
Cert (New York City)
0 SROs
1.2
1.2.1
LEA Survey Administration
Communication protocols
RTI initiated the LEA survey on November 9, 2017, with a mailing to the 250 sampled LEAs.
LEAs were divided into two conditions. Agencies in the first condition received an invitation
letter with instructions on how to access the questionnaire via Web. Agencies in the second
condition received an invitation letter with instructions on how to access the questionnaire
via Web and guidance on how to complete the questionnaire via paper using an enclosed
questionnaire, roster form, and business reply envelope. (Results from the experiment are
discussed further below as a part of LEA response rate outcomes.) All agencies received a
letter of support from PERF. Once data collection began, we monitored a project-specific 1800 number and e-mail address and responded to any incoming communications.
Two weeks later, on November 27, 2017, we sent a postcard to each agency. The postcard
served as a thank you for those agencies that submitted and as a reminder for agencies
that had not submitted.
We sent the final mailed reminder to all nonresponding agencies (n = 163) 2 weeks after
the postcard, on December 7, 2017. This mailing included four pieces: (1) a letter with
instructions on how to complete via Web or paper, (2) the LEA questionnaire, (3) the
rostering form, and (4) a business reply envelope.
One month later, on January 8, 2018, we initiated nonresponse telephone contacting with
all nonresponding agencies (n = 115). These telephone contacts continued for 3 weeks and
ended on January 26, 2018. The LEA survey remained active until February 2, 2018.
2
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
1.2.2
LEA response rate/patterns
The LEA survey was conducted on a compressed timeline, with only 2 weeks between each
of the mail protocol steps. As for the start of nonresponse telephone contacting, we
originally proposed waiting 3 weeks after the final mailing. However, to avoid overlap with
end-of-the-year holidays, BJS agreed to delay the nonresponse telephone contacts to
commence 4 weeks after the final mailing.
In the 2 weeks after the invitation mailing, we achieved a 17.9% response rate (n = 44).1
After we sent the reminder postcard, we achieved a 34.6% response rate (n = 85) before
the final reminder. The final reminder led to a 52.4% response rate (n = 129) before we
started nonresponse contacting. Although the target response rate was 80%, the LEA
questionnaire achieved a 77.2% response rate after nonresponse contacting. There were no
significant differences in response rates by experimental condition (invitation only vs.
invitation and paper questionnaire), however the test was severely underpowered (n = 123
per group).
The response rate steadily progressed throughout LEA data collection, with appreciable
increases after each step of the communication protocol (see Exhibit 1-2).
Exhibit 1-2.
LEA Response Pattern Over Time
Although 250 LEAs were sampled for the pretest, 4 were deemed ineligible. All response rates are
based on a sample size of 246 LEAs.
1
3
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibits 1-3 and 1-4 show LEA unit response patterns by agency type and size,
respectively. Although there is little evidence of variation in response rates by agency type
(rates differ at a maximum of less than 6 percentage points, with a high of 81.0% for
Sheriff), agency size does appear related to LEA response propensity. In Exhibit 1-3,
agencies with SROs (not including NYC) exhibit response rates ranging from a high of
85.4% to a low of 60.0%, and these rates appear to follow a gradient on which the
response rate decreases as agency size increases. Agencies with an unknown number of
SROs exhibit a low response rate of 51.4%. This was expected given that a relative lack of
willingness to participate in data collection likely contributed to these agencies’ CSLLEA data
sparsity in the first place.
Exhibit 1-3.
4
LEA Response by Agency Type
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 1-4.
LEA Response by Agency Size (CSLLEA SRO Count)
Nonresponse bias can result if the population distribution of one or more survey measures is
related to response propensity—if nonresponding agencies are different in a systematic way
than those who do respond, survey-based estimates could misrepresent that population.
Although the true population parameters corresponding to any given estimate are unknown,
we can get a sense of the potential for nonresponse bias by analyzing frame variables that
are correlates of both response propensity and survey variable responses. For the SLEPS
pretest, the best correlates for this type of analysis are agency size (SRO count) and agency
type. From Exhibits 1-3 and 1-4, we can see that agency size is a correlate of response
propensity, and that the situation is less clear for agency type.
5
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Looking more closely at agency size
and the role it plays in response
propensity, we can see that the
Exhibit 1-5.
Relationship between Frame SRO Count
and SLEPS-Measured SRO Count
association indicated by Exhibit 1-4 is
reinforced by the estimates of
agency size by response group. For
nonresponding agencies, the average
number of SROs is 24.7, whereas for
responding LEAs this number is only
5.2. This dramatic difference is
driven in large part by the
nonrespondent status of the NYC
LEA. Removing NYC from the
calculation leads to an average SRO
count of 9.2 in the nonrespondent
group. These estimates are based on
SRO count taken from the frame2
only. In Exhibit 1-5 we see that,
aside from a couple of cases, the
correspondence between the frame
SRO count and measured SRO count3
is high, with only two cases diverging strongly. When replacing the SRO count with an
updated value where available, we see an even smaller mean SRO count of 4.9 among
responding agencies. The difference in SRO count between respondent groups is statistically
significant in all cases (with and without NYC and with both the frame-only and updated
SRO Exhibits).
Although agency size is a correlate of response propensity, it is not yet clear whether the
population distributions of characteristics measured on the LEA survey are also correlated
with agency size. To get an idea as to whether this is the case, we can test whether the
mean number of SROs differs significantly across response categories of questionnaire
variables completed by responding agencies. If agency size is associated with the responses
of questionnaire variables, this could indicate the potential for bias given that
nonresponding agencies seem to be larger on average. When testing mean SRO values
across LEA survey variable response categories, we see a significant association for 13.1%
of tested variables. This is well above the 5% figure we would expect to see from random
chance alone. Taken along with the fact that the SLEPS pretest sample was not powered to
This is based on the 2014 CSLLEA, if it was nonmissing, and the 2008 CSLLEA if it was missing.
Taken as the maximum of LEA survey item Question 19a and the number of SROs rostered for SRO
sampling.
2
3
6
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
detect slight but potentially meaningful differences in agency size across categories,4 this
indicates a potential for nonresponse bias resulting from the relative underrepresentation of
larger agency respondents. Agency type is significantly associated with a similar number of
variables (12.8%)—although, because agency type does not seem as strongly correlated
with response propensity, this is a less pronounced indicator of potential bias.
Beyond a simple question of whether certain types of agencies respond at all, there is also
the question of whether early-responding (the first 25%) and late-responding (the last
25%) agencies differ from one another. If late-responding agencies differ from those that
submit data early in the collection cycle, this could be an indication, for example, that the
selection of the collection period duration could affect survey estimates. Furthermore, if
late-responding agencies are more similar to nonresponding agencies, their data can be
used in nonresponse adjustments in the main data collection. Exhibits 1-6 and 1-7 show
the distributions of agency size and agency type for early responders and late responders.
Although the effects are not especially strong, we can see from Exhibits 1-6 and 1-7 that
Sheriff’s departments and school-based agencies are more likely to respond late, as are
agencies with an unknown number of SROs. Because agency size and type are associated
with LEA survey responses, distributions of those responses could shift significantly
throughout the data collection period. In other words, early responses could represent a
biased sample of agency respondents overall, and the choice of collection period and latecollection outreach could affect survey variable estimates.
In general, though there is a clear potential for nonresponse bias in LEA survey estimates,
there is no indication that this bias could not be well-controlled through careful use of
nonresponse bias mitigation techniques both during and after data collection closeout. By
providing ample time and outreach for agencies with a relatively high propensity for late
response, and by carefully adjusting the base sampling weights of respondent agencies to
account for nonresponse while controlling for things like agency type and size, we have
every expectation that a final LEA respondent sample can support unbiased estimation for
the main SLEPS collection.
For a generic two-category variable, the SLEPS pretest response set is only large enough to support
detection of a +50% difference in mean SRO value at 80% power. Agency size may well be associated
with more than 13.1% of variables, though we are unable to detect significant differences across
response groups.
4
7
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 1-6.
Agency Type Distributions for Early and Late Responders
Exhibit 1-7.
Agency Size Distributions for Early and Late Responders
8
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Experience with paper and Web-based versions of the questionnaire
1.2.3
As shown in Exhibit 1-8, the majority of LEA
questionnaire submissions (69%) were via Web (n =
Exhibit 1-8.
132). A quarter of LEA questionnaire submissions were
Distribution of LEA
Responses by Mode
via paper (n = 47). A small number of LEAs chose to
complete the questionnaire over the phone during
nonresponse contacting (6%, n = 11).
The Web-based version of the questionnaire allows for
standard data entry from LEAs. The Web-based
questionnaire leads the respondent to relevant
questions, meaning questions are skipped or shown as
appropriate. The paper version of the questionnaire;
however, relies on the respondent to decipher the skip
patterns and recognize each question requiring a
response. Phone submissions saw the same benefits as
the Web submissions because staff walked through the
questionnaire with the respondent.
For the LEA pretest, we saw several errors (see Exhibit 1-9) with the paper submissions
(the LEA questionnaire is presented as Appendix A):
Exhibit 1-9.
LEA Paper Questionnaire Submission Errors
Question
4
6
8
10
13
Error
No. of
Respondents
Left this item blank.
1
Wrote more on this item than the year (e.g., “circa 2000”), so their responses
could not be keyed given the validation on the Web (i.e., it only accepts a 4-digit
number).
5
“5 campuses” in sub-item d.
1
Respondent appeared to sum all schools in sub-item d. They drew an arrow
down all sub-items pointing to the response in sub-item d.
1
Respondent selected, “Rotate to other assignments” and wrote in, “Permanent
assignment to school during school year. Assigned to patrol during summer.”
1
Respondents made a mark (i.e., an ‘X’ or a check) in “School districts—Formal
agreement in place” instead of writing a number.
2
Respondent selected “Independent School District” in Question 1, which meant
they should only enter responses in the “Individual schools” line. However, this
respondent put an ‘X’ in the “Not applicable” box and left the rest of the item
blank.
1
Respondent selected both “Yes” and “No” for a single item.
1
9
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Question
Error
No. of
Respondents
Respondent selected “Other (please specify)” and wrote in, “none.”
1
Respondents selected “No” on Question 14 and then selected “By providing
feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a ‘good fit’” for Question
15. Respondents should skip Question 15 if their response to Question 14 is
“No.”
4
17
Respondent selected “Several times a year” and “Other (please specify)” with
text, “Multiple daily contacts via email and phone.”
1
20
Respondent provided only totals in the column and did not provide the
breakdown by gender.
1
Respondent did not select “Yes” or “No” for sub-item e, but wrote in, “local
school districts.”
1
Respondent selected “Yes” for sub-item c and wrote in, “Michigan State Police –
Team Program” as the name of the state organization.
1
Respondent selected “No” for each sub-item in these questions and then noted,
“Both 26 and 27 are included in our policy but not in our agreement with the
school system.”
1
Respondent left sub-item d blank and wrote, “not issued unknown if school
would allow.”
1
Respondent left sub-item f blank and wrote, “unk.”
1
Respondent selected “None” to Question 31 sub-item b and then selected “No”
to each sub-item in Question 32. Respondents should skip Question 32 if their
response to Question 31 sub-item b is “No.”
1
Respondent selected “Yes” and did not include the rostering form.
1
Respondent selected “No” to Question 40 and did not provide a rostering form
but completed Question 41.
1
Respondents selected both response options in Question 41.
2
Respondents did not select a response to Question 40 or Question 41 but
provided a complete rostering form.
2
14 and 15
22
26 and 27
29
31 and 32
40 and 41
1.3
1.3.1
Rostering from LEA Survey Respondents
Consistency in items that measure the number of SROs
There are three items on the LEA questionnaire that should match related to the number of
sworn officers primarily assigned to any public K-12 schools—Question 19, Question 20,
and the rostering form. Question 19a asks for the total number of sworn officers that are
primarily assigned to any public K-12 schools as of September 30, 2017. Question 20 asks
for a breakdown of sworn SROs by race/Hispanic origin and sex. The rostering form asks for
the list the sworn officers who are primarily assigned to work in K–12 public schools,
including the officer’s initials or other identifying information, race/Hispanic origin, sex, and
e-mail address.
10
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
The number entered in Question 19a should equal the total in Question 20 and the total
number of SROs on the rostering form. The breakdown provided in Question 20 should
match the characteristics provided on the rostering form. For the pretest, we reviewed
submissions to confirm Question 19a equaled the number of SROs on the rostering form.
For cases where these did not match, we followed up with the LEA point of contact (POC) to
clarify the inconsistent information.
There were 21 cases that required this follow-up. We initiated follow-up with an e-mail
outlining the issue. Eleven of the 21 cases were resolved upon that initial contact. For those
that were not resolved, we attempted contact via phone and continued contacting via phone
and e-mail until resolution. Six additional cases were resolved; however, four cases were
not resolved through contact with the agency. Resolutions for the 17 cases are as follows:
Resolution
POCs forgot to include themselves on the rostering form.
These POCs also had three SRO vacancies, so the numbers did not match across the
questions.
No. of POCs
4
1
The rostering form was incorrect and one of the listed officers was removed.
1
The rostering form was correct, and we updated Question 19a and Question 20
1
Forgot to include both SRO departments (i.e., SRO and Neighborhood SRO) on the rostering
form; we updated the rostering form.
1
LEA POC was confused about the definition of a “sworn officer.” They have two retired police
officers that are SROs that are called SLEO IIs. The POC confirmed that these officers have full
arrest powers. We updated Question 19a.
1
▪
2
LEA POCs were confused about the timing indicated in the questions.
LEA POC counted two SROs because they had two over the course of the year;
however, on September 30, 2017, they only had one. We corrected Question 20 and the
rostering form.
LEA POC realized that we were asking about September 30, 2017, in all questions
(even though it is stated explicitly only in Question 19a) and said that we should update
Questions 19a and 20 to match the rostering form.
▪
Entered the wrong number in Question 19a (no details given) and we updated that to match
Question 20 and the rostering form.
3
▪
LEA POC confirmed the numbers provided in Questions 19a and 20 and we updated the
rostering form (no explanation given).
1
▪
LEA POC included a DARE officer that fills in part-time as an SRO on the rostering form but
did not include them in Questions 19a and 20. We updated Questions 19a and 20.
1
▪
LEA POC included SROs assigned to schools on the rostering form. For Questions 19a and
20, the POC included those SROs as well as their supervisors. We did not include the
supervisors on the questionnaire and removed them from Question 19a and 20.
1
▪
Provided updated numbers for all three items—Questions 19a and 20 and the rostering
form (no details given).
1
11
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
1.3.2
Preference for single POC or direct-to-officer survey distribution
We received 190 submissions for the LEA questionnaire. We received 124 responses to
Question 41 (For purposes of administrating the officer survey, would your agency prefer
to have a single point of contact to distribute the officer survey or have our team directly
contact the officers?). Most agencies selected “Single point of contact” (70%, n = 87).
1.4
1.4.1
LEA Item-Level Measurements and Quality
Item response patterns
We examined several indicators for measurement error: item missingness across the
questionnaire and, specifically for grid questions, straight-lining5 and errors of commission.6
We focused on variables that yielded more than 5% item nonresponse, as in such cases, the
missingness is likely systematic rather than random and can potentially induce bias in the
estimates. Not surprisingly, write-in response options, such as “Other (please specify)” had
the highest missing rate—for example, Question 22e had 23% missingness (where
respondents were expected to mark “No” if no other entities were relevant). Response
options b (school districts) and d (national organizations) were also left blank by 8% and
6% of the respondents, respectively.
During the field test it became clear that questions in the non-sworn SROs section did not
apply to most LEAs (about 10% of respondents left this question blank, whereas 96% of
those who responded to Question 19B reported zero non-sworn employees).
Finally, the last question of the LEA questionnaire (Question 40) had about 6% item
missingness, which is not surprising given that Questions 30–39 did not apply to majority
of our respondents, and about 10% of them chose not to complete the roster.
One of the disadvantages for using grid questions is the potential for item missingness and
straight-lining associated with them).7 To address these concerns, we examined the average
amount of item missingness for questions with five or more subparts presented in a grid
format, as well as the average standard deviation across respondents. Exhibit 1-10
presents the results of those analyses. Most of the grid questions had less than 2% item
missingness (suggesting it is likely missing at random). Not surprisingly, Question 29 had
the highest percent missingness: 1 of 20 respondents were likely confused how to select a
response option when they were nested within not necessarily mutually exclusive
categories. Question 13 did not have much variability in responses, suggesting that some
of its subparts were highly correlated and potentially can be collapsed.
Straight-lining refers to a respondent’s tendency to select the same response within a grid.
Errors of commission are when respondents ignore the skip logic when completing a paper form.
7 Toepoel, V., M. Das and A. v. Soest (2005). Design of Web Questionnaires: A Test for Number of
Items Per Screen, Tilburg University. 2006.
5
6
12
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 1-10. Average Percent Item Missingness and Average Standard Deviation by Grid
Question in the LEA Questionnaire
Grid Question Number
Average Percent Missing, %
Average Standard Deviation Across
Respondents
12
1.5
0.28
13
0.9
0.17
18
0.6
0.30
23
0.4
0.26
24
0.2
0.31
25
0.0
0.36
26
0.7
0.26
27
0.6
0.36
28
0.4
0.24
29
5.0
0.87
We also examined errors of commission, where respondents ignored the skip logic if they
chose to complete the paper form. There were no violations of skip patterns for the sworn
SROs questions (Questions 3, 9, 14).
Inconsistencies across items
1.4.2
Finally, we examined items that measured the same concept in the LEA questionnaire.
Specifically, we calculated the match rate between then number reported in the gate
question collecting information on the number of sworn and non-sworn officers
(Question 19) and the information provided in the roster. There was a 98% match
between the total numbers of sworn SROs provided in each item (after following up with
POCs as described above).
2. SRO Survey
2.1
SRO Sampling Approach
The SLEPS SRO pretest was designed to assess the feasibility of administering a survey
directly to officers. Before the pretest, it was not known how well an officer-based survey
would perform, including the ability to collect officer rosters and to achieve adequate final
SRO response rates. For agencies that provided a roster of SROs, the following SRO
sampling rules were employed:
•
LEAs with 1–5 SROs: sample all SROs
•
LEAs with 6–10 SROs: sample 5 or 75% of SROs, whichever is greater
•
LEAs with 11–30 SROs: sample 8 or 50% of SROs, whichever is greater
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Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
•
2.2
2.2.1
LEAs with 31+ SROs: sample 16 SROs8
SRO Survey Administration
Communication protocols
We initiated the SRO survey on March 1, 2018, with a mailing to the 475 sampled SROs. 9
SROs were contacted either directly (n = 121) or through a single POC with the agency (n =
354). All SROs received a sealed envelope containing (1) an invitation letter with
instructions on how to access the questionnaire via Web and (2) a letter of support from
PERF. The invitation letter noted that the LEA supported the data collection and provided the
contact information for the LEA POC should the SRO have questions. We continued to
monitor the 1-800 number and e-mail address throughout the SRO survey to assist SROs.
Two weeks later, on March 15, 2018, we sent a postcard to each SRO. The postcard served
as a thank you for those SROs that submitted and as a reminder for SROs that had not
submitted. Again, these postcards were sent either directly (n = 121) or through a single
POC with the agency (n = 350).10
We sent the final reminder to all nonresponding SROs 2 weeks after the postcard, on March
29, 2018. Each SRO received a sealed envelope containing (1) a letter with instructions on
how to complete via Web or paper, (2) the SRO questionnaire, and (3) a business reply
envelope. As with the previous mailings, SROs received this packet either directly (n = 74)
or through a single POC with the agency (n = 89).
The SRO survey remained active until May 4, 2018.
2.2.2
SRO response rate/patterns
The SRO survey was conducted on a compressed timeline. There were 2 weeks between
each of the mail protocol steps.
In the 2 weeks after the invitation mailing, we achieved a 39.3% response rate (n = 185).11
After we sent the reminder postcard, we achieved a 65.4% response rate (n = 308) before
the final reminder. After the final reminder, the SRO survey achieved a 78.1% response rate
(n = 368), surpassing the target 74% response rate.
The response rate steadily progressed throughout SRO data collection, with moderate
increases after each step of the communication protocol (see Exhibit 2-1). Exhibits 2-2
through 2-6 show various SRO response comparisons.
The original sampling rule for this stratum was to select 10 or 10% of SROs, whichever was greater.
The modified sampling rule change was requested by BJS.
9 We had one late-responding LEA that was on a slightly different SRO mailing schedule.
10 The number of SROs contacted through a single POC decreased by four because of ineligible SROs.
11 Although 475 SROs were sampled for the pretest, 4 were deemed ineligible. All response rates are
based on a sample size of 471 LEAs.
8
14
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 2-1.
LEA Response Pattern Over Time
Exhibit 2-2.
SRO Response by Agency Type
15
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 2-3.
SRO Response by Agency Size
Exhibit 2-4.
SRO Response by SRO Gender
16
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 2-5.
SRO Response by SRO Race
Exhibit 2-6.
SRO Response by SRO Survey Type of Contact
As in the case of LEA response, we do see some variation in the apparent response
propensity of SROs. SROs from school-based agencies or medium-sized agencies (6–10
SROs) appear relatively less likely to respond, as do female and Hispanic SROs. SROs
17
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
contacted directly, rather than through a central agency POC also respond at lower rates.
Notably, however, these marginal rates of response could in some cases be measuring
common, underlying characteristics. Exhibit 2-7 shows the p-values derived from tests of
association between the characteristics presented above. A full half of the relationships are
significant. Especially notable is the significant associations between agency size and agency
type, SRO race, and POC type for SRO data collection.
Exhibit 2-7.
Agency Size
P-Values from Chi-Square Tests of Association Between LEA and SRO
Characteristics
Agency Size
Agency Type
SRO Gender
SRO Race
POC
N/A
<0.0001
0.9765
<0.0001
0.0080
N/A
0.5934
0.0010
0.0287
N/A
0.1987
0.4066
N/A
0.7647
Agency Type
SRO Gender
SRO Race
POC
N/A
To get a sense of whether differential response patterns among SROs might indicate a
potential for nonresponse bias, associations between LEA and SRO characteristics were
measured for respondents across SRO questionnaire variables. We found that 15.9% of
variables were significantly associated with agency size, whereas 20.4% were significantly
associated with agency type. SRO race was significantly associated with 23.9% of SRO
questionnaire variables. SRO gender and POC type exhibited the fewest significant
associations, each with 8.0%.
As noted earlier for LEAs, binary response status does not paint the full picture. To fully
address the potential for nonresponse bias, we also must consider whether the profile of
SRO respondents changes throughout the collection period. Although SRO race and gender
and agency type distributions did not differ meaningfully between early and late SRO
respondents, there does seem to be some association between agency size and contact type
and promptness of SRO questionnaire response. Exhibits 2-8 and 2-9 show that SROs
contacted directly and those from medium-sized agencies are overrepresented in the late
responder groups. SROs from these agencies could be more sensitive to the duration of the
SRO survey response collection period and to late-collection outreach measures.
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Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 2-8.
POC Type Distributions for Early and Late Response Groups
Exhibit 2-9.
Agency Size Distributions for Early and Late Response Groups
Although there is potential for nonresponse bias in SRO survey variables, there is no
indication that this bias could not be mitigated through post-collection weighting. Agency
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Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
size and type and especially SRO race are associated with questionnaire responses and may
also be related to response propensity. Thankfully, these measures are available either from
the LEA frame or SRO rosters and can be included in weight-calibration models used to
adjust survey weights for unit nonresponse.
2.2.3
Findings from the single POC time tracking study
For 19 of the single POCs, we included a request to track the time they spent facilitating the
SRO survey in the initial mailing. We included six agencies in each of three strata (1–5
SROs, 6–10 SROs, 11–30 SROs) and one agency in the larger stratum (31+ SROs). After
the completion of the SRO pretest, we contacted these POCs via phone to learn about the
time they spent and how they distributed the mailings. We completed interviews with 16 of
the 19 POCs. Exhibit 2-10 presents the main findings from the POC time tracking study.
Exhibit 2-10. Findings from POC Time Tracking Study
1–5 SROs (5 completed interviews)
▪
Time to distribute the initial SRO invitation letter
10–15 minutes (passed out to officers)
3 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
1 hour (drove to each school to distribute)
20 minutes (passed out to officers)
Minutes (passed out to officers)
▪
Did not have any situations where the selected
person was no longer working at the agency.
▪
Time to distribute reminder postcard
▪
Time to distribute final reminder
▪
Time to engage in additional follow-up
▪
1 hour (drove to each school to distribute)
A few minutes (via text message or e-mail)
30 minutes (via verbal follow-up or e-mail)
Recommendations for improvement
Send questionnaires digitally
A few minutes (distributed through mailbox)
3 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
1 hour (drove to each school to distribute)
20 minutes (passed out to officers)
Minutes (passed out to officers)
6–10 SROs (4 completed interviews)
20
Time to distribute the initial SRO invitation letter
▪ 10 minutes (sent e-mail and distributed through
mailbox)
▪ 15 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (sent e-mail and distributed through
mailbox)
▪ A few seconds (distributed through mailbox)
Did not have any situations where the selected
person was no longer working at the agency.
Time to distribute reminder postcard
▪ 10 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 15 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (sent e-mail and distributed through
mailbox)
▪ Time unknown (distributed through mailbox)
Time to distribute final reminder
▪ 15 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (sent e-mail and distributed through
mailbox)
Time to engage in additional follow-up
▪ 15 minutes (via e-mail)
▪ Time unknown (via e-mail)
Recommendations for improvement
▪ Save time and money by using e-mail because
actual mail may sit around for a while.
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
11–30 SROs (6 completed interviews)
Time to distribute the initial SRO invitation letter
▪ About a minute (distributed in a meeting)
▪ 6 hours (hand delivered)
▪ 1 hour (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (passed out to officers)
▪ 2 hours (drove to each school to distribute)
▪ 30 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
Three agencies reported a situation where the
selected person was no longer working at the
agency and they distributed the mailing to someone
else.
Time to distribute reminder postcard
▪ Did not distribute
▪ 30 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 30 minutes (passed out to officers)
▪ 2 hours (drove to each school to distribute)
▪ 5 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
Time to distribute final reminder
▪ Did not distribute
▪ 30 minutes (distributed through mailbox)
▪ 2 hours (drove to each school to distribute)
▪ 2 minutes (passed out to officer)
31+ SROs (1 completed interview)
Time to distribute the initial SRO invitation letter
▪ 4 hours (distributed via e-mail and one-on-one
meetings)
There were two people on medical leave, one of
whom ended up completing it upon return. The
other individual did not complete it. All other
selected SROs filled out the questionnaire, but no
one took the place of the missing SRO.
Time to engage in additional follow-up
▪ 5 minutes (via e-mail)
▪ 5 minutes (via e-mail)
▪ 1 hour (via phone, e-mail, and in person)
▪ 10 minutes (via meeting)
Recommendations for improvement
▪ Get the e-mail for the SRO to go directly to the
SRO
▪ Speed up the delivery process by going
paperless and sending information to e-mail
accounts
▪ Liked having one POC to distribute the
questionnaires
▪ It would be easier if it was done electronically so
POC could just send an e-mail. POC delivered
them in person because, as the supervisor, POC
was only pulling one person (them) away from
their position. POC did not have to pull SROs
from their assignment. If POC had it
electronically, POC could stay in position, too.
Time to distribute reminder postcard
▪ 1 hour (distributed through Sergeants and followup e-mail)
Time to distribute final reminder
▪ 1 hour
POC did not engage in additional follow-up.
Recommendations for improvement
▪ Provide the POC with more information—who is
BJS? What is the objective of the survey?
21
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
2.2.4
Experience with paper and Web-based versions of the questionnaire
As seen in Exhibit 2-11, the majority of SRO
questionnaire submissions (95%) were via Web (n =
350). The remaining SRO questionnaires were
Exhibit 2-11. Distribution of SRO
Responses by Mode
submitted via paper (5%, n = 18).
The Web-based version of the questionnaire allows for
standard data entry from SROs. The Web-based
questionnaire leads the respondent to relevant
questions, meaning questions are skipped or shown as
appropriate. The paper version of the questionnaire,
however, relies on the respondent to decipher the skip
patterns and recognize each question requiring a
response.
For the SRO pretest, we saw several errors (see
Exhibit 2-12) with the paper submissions (the SRO
questionnaire is presented as Appendix B):
Exhibit 2-12. SRO Paper Questionnaire Submission Errors
Question
Error
No. of
Respondents
10
Selected “No” for sub-item f and wrote in, “My school staff has.”
1
11
Selected “None of the above” and wrote, “On light duty presently.”
1
12
Marked three of the sub-items and “None of the above.”
1
“Not sure changes everyday.”
1
Wrote “100%” for sub-item a, “70%” for sub-item b, “50%” for
sub-item c, “50%” for sub-item d, and “0” for e.
1
Wrote “0” in each sub-item and, “I’ve been injured for the past 30
days.”
1
15
“FL 790.164” for “Other (please specify)” without selecting “Yes” or
“No.”
1
17 and 18
“No” to Question 17 and responded “Yes” to Question 18.
Respondents should skip Question 18 if their response to Question
17 is “No.”
2
19
Both “Middle school” and “High school.”
1
20
More on this item than 40 hours (e.g., “40+”), so their responses
could not be keyed given the validation on the Web (i.e., it only
accepts a 2-digit number).
3
22
“24” which was considered out of range by the Web-version.
1
14
22
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
2.3
2.3.1
SRO Item-Level Measurements and Quality
Item response patterns
Similar to our analyses of measurement issues in the LEA questionnaire, we examined item
nonresponse in the SRO questionnaire, specifically focusing on grid questions, straight-lining
in grid questions, and errors of commission.
Question 14 was the only question that yielded relatively high percent missingness across
its subparts (B = 9%, C = 15%, and D = 7%). Not surprisingly, subpart e (“Other, please
specify”) was left blank by 74% of respondents. The item nonresponse rate for the rest of
the questions was 2% or less, suggesting nonsystematic missingness.
We also examined the average amount of item missingness for grid questions with five or
more subparts and the average standard deviation across respondents. Exhibit 2-13 shows
that none of the grid questions were left blank. Question 8 had the lowest variability across
responses among all respondents, suggesting that response options were highly correlated;
thus, certain subparts could be collapsed.
Exhibit 2-13. Average Percent Item Missingness and Average Standard Deviation by Grid
Question in the SRO Survey
Grid Question Number
Average Percent Missing, %
Average Standard Deviation Across
Respondents
8
0.0
0.20
9
0.0
0.33
10
0.0
0.34
15
0.0
0.39
Finally, we examined error of commission for the only question where skip logic was present
(Question 17) and found no evidence of respondents ignoring the skip instructions.
2.3.2
Inconsistencies across items
There were no items in the SRO questionnaire that measured the same concept; however,
we examined the extent to which respondents accurately filled out Question 14, where
responses had to sum up to 100%. For complete Web submissions, 98% of the responses
summed up to 100%; in contrast, for mail questionnaires, the rate was only 72%.
23
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
3. Recommendations for Main Data Collection
3.1
LEA Questionnaire Instrument
Drop questions about non-sworn officers
3.1.1
The section on non-sworn officers was irrelevant for majority of our respondents—86% of
those who responded to Question 19b entered “0” non-sworn employees. Among all who
responded to Question 19, 10% left it blank, presumably as it did not apply to them.
Dropping the non-sworn section completely, or significantly reducing the number of
questions, will help minimize the perceived burden when paper questionnaires are mailed to
the agencies.
Collect rank on rostering form
3.1.2
As suggested in the cognitive interviews that informed the pretest version of the
questionnaire, the roster asked respondents to provide a linkable identifier (e.g., initials,
badge number, name) for each SRO, along with the SRO’s race, gender, and e-mail
address. During the pretest, we used the linkable identifier to address each mailing. For
direct contact, we addressed the mailings to “SRO <>.” All SROs in the direct
contact group had to have, at a minimum, first initial and last name. We contacted three of
the LEA POCs to clarify SRO names before sending these mailings. In full, these mailings
were addressed as:
•
SRO <>
•
Agency Name
•
Agency Address
For SROs that received their mailings through a single contact, we addressed their
envelopes (which did not need to be USPS-ready, as they were sent within a larger mailer
to the POC) using the linkable identifier. This identifier could be a full name, initials, badge
number, or any combination thereof. In full, these envelopes were addressed as:
•
<>
•
C/O LEA POC
•
Agency Name
We recommend adding rank for sampled SROs, especially if we were to mail directly to
them, so that mailings can be more appropriately addressed.
3.1.3
Respond to new state-level legislation to require a SRO in every school
(e.g., Florida, Maryland)
Given recent school shootings and states moving toward legislation that would require the
presence of SROs in every school, we recommend adding a few questions to get insight into
24
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
whether such mandates exist in the LEA’s state, whether the agency is prepared to respond
to it, and what types of resources will be required to do so.
3.1.4
Reduce the number of response options for Question 13
Our analyses of measurement issues revealed low variability in responses to the subparts of
Question 13. This suggests that some of the subparts may be collapsed—for example, A, B
and C; G and H.
3.2
3.2.1
SRO Questionnaire Instrument
Add a screening question to ensure the sampled SRO is still serving in an
SRO capacity
Given the time lag between receiving the completed roster and drawing the sample, we
need to make sure that the selected SRO still serves in such a capacity. During the field
test, we discovered that some SROs had either left the LEA or transferred out of the role of
SRO. Alternatively, we could add a response option to Question 3.
3.2.2
Consider adding demographic questions (e.g., race and gender)
The current SRO questionnaire does not collect any demographic information on
respondents. We believe it will be useful to be able to match back to the roster demographic
data provided by the LEA as an additional verification that we have the correct respondent
completing the questionnaire.
3.2.3
Reduce the number of response options to Question 8
Our analyses showed low variability in responses to the subparts of Question 8, suggesting
high correlation among them. We recommend collapsing some of the question subparts—for
example, B and C; D and E.
3.2.4
Consider removing Question 25
All but one respondent provided their primary school name. We believe the possibility of
linking school data from other surveys to the data provided in the SRO questionnaire offers
a unique opportunity for further research. The concern that SROs may not stay assigned to
the same school long might be alleviated by adding a question in the Primary Assigned
School section asking how long they have been working in that school. This would serve as
a proxy measure for certainty when we link to supplemental data.
3.3
3.3.1
System Recommendations
Continuation of the pretest systems and programming environments
After the successful SLEPS pretest data collection of both LEA and SRO surveys, we propose
to apply the same systems and design principles for the main study, supplementing
25
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
improvements to system configuration. This will enhance existing efficiencies and improve
systems integration throughout the study.
For the main study data collection, and as was done for the pretest, RTI developers will
program Web instrumentation using Voxco Online, our preferred commercial off-the-shelf
survey software. The LEA and SRO questionnaires are self-administered via Web and will be
accessible through the existing Law Enforcement Core Statistics (LECS) portal. The Voxco
survey system offers a very practical user interface for respondents, plus gives project
managers quick access and insight into questionnaire data. Daily data exports of both LEA
and SRO questionnaires be available to the analysis team for reporting and analytics. To
enhance the nonresponse follow-up activities, updates to the Web site will be made to
improve the collection of contact information from questionnaire respondents before
launching the questionnaire. This will help improve response rates for breakoffs and
respondents unable to complete their questionnaires in the allotted time.
We will continue to use the Nirvana Case Management System, which uses a standardized
common database to allow for management of case flow and real-time reporting of case
disposition. Nirvana implements various standardized processes to track each case status in
all modes of data collection, such as Web and Paper. Enhancements to Nirvana will be made
to more tightly integrate questionnaire data coming from Voxco with the other modes of
data collection, such as TeleForm, to refine reporting capabilities and improve nonresponse
follow-up procedures. In addition, the SLEPS case management system will include
functionality to allow more dynamic management of nonresponse cases and any data
obtained as a result of those calls.
3.3.2
Development of a distinct data entry platform for main study questionnaire
entry
For the SLEPS main study data collection, we propose TeleForm, an optical character
recognition (OCR) data collection suite. OCR is the electronic conversion of scanned images
of handwritten, typewritten, or printed text into machine-encoded text. RTI programmers
will use TeleForm Form designer to program the questionnaires, creating scannable forms to
be converted into digital data.
This OCR approach increases cost-effectiveness and improves data quality by allowing for
data capture through optical scanning, reducing errors associated with manual data entry
processes.
As an additional quality assurance measure, all text and constrained print fields will be
double-keyed by operators. Any blank choice fields will be checked in case the respondent
did not fill in the bubble adequately and TeleForm did not “see” the mark. These steps
ensure the best quality data from the scanned forms.
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Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
The optical scanning process will also index and archive the scanned instrument images and
made available for retrieval by project staff for data quality follow-up, if needed.
All personnel involved in scanning are trained and then observed across the first few forms
entered to ensure that the prescribed procedures are followed. Operators will be monitored,
with quality being checked daily as forms are scanned. As forms are completed, those
flagged with an issue during scanning are resolved and once the scanning and verification
processes are complete, final datasets are created and imported into the project’s data files.
3.4
3.4.1
Sampling Approach
LEA
SLEPS presents an interesting sampling challenge in that estimates from both the first-stage
(LEAs) and second-stage (SROs) of the sample design are of more or less equal importance.
This means that the most common sampling approach for two-stage establishment
surveys—probability proportional to size sampling—will not work well for SLEPS. This is
because the variability of the sampling weights in such a design is considered only overall
(the products of first- and second-stage weights are monitored and controlled, whereas
marginal weights can vary significantly).
For SLEPS a careful design process that monitors and controls marginal weighting effects for
LEAs along with two-stage weight products for SROs will be essential. Given BJS estimation
priorities of producing national estimates by agency size, several stratification and sample
allocation options should be considered. Variation in sampling strata will be driven by the
number of strata as well as the SRO counts used as cut-points delineating strata. Allocation
of agencies to strata will be driven by budgetary constraints while balancing the analytic
power at the individual stratum and overall national level.
3.4.2
SRO
Although the SLEPS pretest showed that SRO race and gender can be collected on SRO
rosters with very low rates of missingness (4.1% and 2.4%, respectively), BJS analytic
priorities do not require oversampling for any particular group. The choice of SRO design
will likely have a straight-forward focus on overall yield and control of unequal weighting
effects for national estimation. That said, having SRO characteristics on collected rosters will
allow for robust post-collection nonresponse adjustments for the mitigation of potential
nonresponse bias. In the main study sample design analysis, various overall SRO sample
sizes and allocations will be analyzed with an eye to their impact on analytic power and
project budget.
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Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
3.5
Timeline/Communication
Based upon the pretest experience, there are 3 primary recommendations concerning the
SLEPS main study timeline and data collection.
•
As is often the case for pretests, the SLEPS LEA and SRO pretest survey time
periods were compressed relative to what may be standard data collection
periods of this nature. As has previously been discussed with BJS, we recommend
expanding the LEA survey data collection period to at least 3 months and the
SRO survey data collection period to at least 4 months.
•
An additional modification to consider is minimizing the time period between
roster creation and submission and the ensuing SRO sample selection. Doing so
may be accomplished by reducing the time between the LEA and SRO surveys.
One anticipated benefit to this approach is minimizing the amount of SRO job
transitions (e.g., relocation, change of primary assignment) that are observed
upon launching the SRO survey.
•
As for the timing of the main study data collection, we recommend aligning the
launch of the main data collection with the start of the traditional school calendar
(i.e., late August or early September). Doing so will help ensure a more accurate
representation of the count of SROs among sampled LEAs.
3.6
3.6.1
Questionnaire Administration
Web-based or paper forms
Because a quarter of LEA questionnaires were submitted via paper, we should keep the
paper forms reminder mailing in the protocol for the LEA questionnaire. Even though only
5% of the SRO questionnaires were returned via paper, the SRO reminder mailing that
included the paper form increased the overall response rate by 12.7% as respondents were
able to see the types of questions asked and estimate burden associated with the
questionnaire request. Thus, cost-savings from not including the paper form in that mailing
are likely to be surpassed by costs related to nonresponse follow-up.
3.6.2
Single POC for SRO survey distribution instructions
During the pretest, 83.4% of SROs that were mailed through a single POC completed the
SRO questionnaire, whereas only 62.8% of direct-mail SROs completed the questionnaire.
For the main study, we could remove the option for direct mail and distribute all SRO
materials through a single POC.12
This decision should consider the benefits and detriments of each approach. If, for example, the LEA
would choose direct contact if given the choice, does that perhaps mean that SRO nonresponse might
be more likely for that agency if the choice is not given? That is, by indicating a preference for direct
contact, is the LEA POC telegraphing a lack of willingness to assist with the SRO distribution and
12
28
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
One-page FAQ sheet about the SRO survey for the POCs
3.6.3
We should consider preparing the POCs for administering the SRO survey. A one-page FAQ
sheet detailing information about the study (e.g., Who is BJS? Who is RTI? What is SLEPS?)
would help POCs respond to any questions the SROs may bring to them. We should also
make the SLEPS hotline and e-mail address more obvious on SRO and POC communications
so that SROs can direct questions directly to the project team instead of burdening the POC.
Expectations for burden and distribution method
3.6.4
The burden placed on the POC depends on the number of SROs that are sampled from their
LEA. Some POCs reported driving to each school to distribute the materials; others placed
all materials in mailboxes. The POC letter said, “Please distribute these envelopes as soon
as possible.” We could provide additional details about how the POC can distribute (e.g.,
through mailbox, scheduled meetings).
During the time tracking interviews, many POCs pointed to digital distribution. We should
consider changing one of our protocol steps to e-mail contact in place of mailed contact;
however, we should still incorporate mailings.
Procedures if a sampled officer is no longer with the agency
3.6.5
Additional modifications to the POC letter should include details on how to handle mailings
for SROs that are no longer with the agency, no longer serving as an SRO, or out on leave.
3.7
•
If an SRO is no longer with the agency, the POC should notify the project team
and not distribute the mailing. This SRO will be treated as ineligible.
•
If an SRO is still with the agency, but no longer serving as an SRO, the POC
should notify the project team and not distribute the mailing. This SRO will be
treated as ineligible.
•
If an SRO is out on leave, the POC should distribute the mailing as soon as the
SRO returns. This SRO will be treated as a nonresponder if they do not return
during the SRO survey period.
Recommended Timeline for Full Data Collection
Based on the pretest experience, the above timeline recommendations, and consultation
with BJS, we recommend the following timeline for implementing the full data collection.
response process? A second consideration is that nonresponse could increase at the SRO level when/if
an LEA’s POC later forsakes distributing questionnaires or reminding SROs. Finally, even though the
SRO response may increase among centralized POCs, the response could become concentrated among
fewer agencies, thus increasing the chance of bias.
29
Recommendations for the SLEPS Main Data Collection Based on Lessons Learned from the
Pretest Conducted November 2017–May 2018
Exhibit 3-1.
Recommended timeline for the full data collection
Task Name
OMB Package Development (dates are estimates)
60-Day OMB Notice Submission
60-Day OMB Notice Posts
30-Day OMB Notice Submission
30-Day OMB Notice Posts
OMB Review Period
OMB Clearance
LEA Sampling
Finalize data collection systems, protocols per OMB approval
SLEPS Main Study Data Collection
Agency-level questionnaire and rostering data collection
Officer-level sample construction
Officer-level questionnaire data collection
SLEPS Data Compilation and Analyses
SLEPS Analysis and Reporting
30
Start
Finish
2/18/19
6/28/19
2/18/19
2/18/19
2/22/19
2/22/19
4/22/19
4/22/19
4/26/19
4/26/19
4/30/19
6/28/19
6/28/19
6/28/19
June 2019
August 2019
June 2019
August 2019
September 2019
June 2020
September 2019 December 2019
January 2020 February 2020
March 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020
September 2020 December 2020
Appendix A:
LEA Questionnaire
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) Survey
2017 Pre-test
In correspondence about this survey, please refer to the Agency ID number printed below. (Please correct any error in
name and mailing address in the box below. If the information is correct, please check the box in the bottom right hand
corner.)
Agency ID:
Password:
Name:
Title:
Agency:
The information is correct
INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY
Name
Title
Telephone
Fax
Email
INSTRUCTIONS
•
•
This survey should be completed by a representative who is most knowledgeable about your agency’s employment of
and policies regarding law enforcement officers working in schools.
This survey uses the following terms and definitions:
o
School Resource Officer (SRO): any officer who is primarily assigned to any public K-12 school, regardless of sworn
status, arrest powers, and employment status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise specified in the question.
o
SRO program: your agency’s employment of officers who are primarily assigned to any public K-12 school,
regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and employment status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise
specified in the question.
•
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (34 U.S.C. § 10132), authorizes this information
collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate,
and timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.
•
If you have any questions about this survey, visit the SLEPS web site at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2017 or contact Alissa
Chambers at RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
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BURDEN STATEMENT
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW,
Washington, DC 20531.
INFORMED CONSENT
Description and Purpose of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS): SLEPS collects data on law
enforcement agencies and school resource officers across the United States. Your agency has been selected from a
scientific sample of approximately 250 law enforcement agencies across the country.
Sponsor: The survey is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). RTI International,
a not-for-profit research organization, is conducting the study on the behalf of BJS.
Procedures: The survey may be completed online, faxed, or mailed back in a prepaid envelope. It is estimated to take
about 25 minutes to complete, on average. Additional time may be needed if you are willing to provide an officer roster.
Financial Considerations: There is no monetary incentive for completing the survey.
Voluntary Participation: Your participation is completely voluntary. You can refuse to answer any and all questions.
Privacy and Confidentiality: The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is authorized to conduct this data collection under 34
U.S.C § 10132. BJS will protect and maintain the confidentiality of your personally identifiable information (PII) to the
fullest extent under federal law. BJS, its employees, and its contractors will only use the information you provide for
statistical or research purposes pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10134, and will not disclose your information in identifiable form
to anyone outside of the BJS project team without your consent. All PII collected under BJS’s authority is protected under
the confidentiality provisions of 34 U.S.C. § 10231. Any person who violates these provisions may be punished by a fine of
up to $10,000 in addition to any other penalties imposed by law. Further, per the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015
(6 U.S.C. § 151), federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of
transmitted data. For more information on how BJS and its contractors will use and protect your information, go to
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/BJS_Data_Protection_Guidelines.pdf.
Possible Benefits and Risks: There are no direct benefits to you for participating in the survey. The potential exists for
loss of privacy, though our procedures are designed to protect and secure your information.
Further Questions: If you have any questions about the survey now or in the future you can contact the RTI Project
Director, Duren Banks at 1-800-334-8571, extension 28026.
Statement of Consent: I have read the description of this survey provided above and I understand it. I have been
informed of the risks and benefits involved, and all my questions have been answered to my satisfaction. Furthermore, I
have been assured that any future questions that I may have will also be answered. I freely and voluntarily agree to
participate in SLEPS.
By completing this survey, I am indicating my agreement to participate in SLEPS.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Which best describes your agency? Mark only one.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
2.
As of September 30, 2017, how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers were employed by your
agency? ______
3.
Does your agency employ any officers that are primarily assigned to work in any public K-12 school?
Yes
No
Go to Question 4
This completes your response. Please return your survey to RTI.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS
4.
In what year did your agency start assigning officers to public schools? ______________
5.
As of September 30, 2017, what are the funding sources for your SRO program? Mark all that apply.
6.
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
How many of the following public schools, including charter schools, are served by your SRO program?
Type of public school:
Number
a. Elementary schools (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 8)
b. Middle schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 9)
c. High schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher
than grade 12)
d. Combined schools (e.g., K-8, K-12)
7.
Does your SRO program also serve private schools?
Yes
No
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8.
Do the majority of officers in your SRO program serve on a single permanent assignment (i.e., only serve as an SRO)
or rotate to other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
SRO POLICIES AND ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES
9.
Does your agency have a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program?
Yes
No
10. With how many entities (school districts and/or individual schools) does your agency have an agreement (e.g.,
memorandum of understanding, contractual or verbal agreement, legislation)? Enter the number of entities by
type of agreement in the table below.
Formal agreement
in place
No formal agreement
in place
School districts
Not applicable
(Independent School
District Police Department)
Individual schools
If your agency does not have a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program (Question 9 was ‘No’)
and does not have any formal agreements in place (you put ‘0’ in Question 10 in the formal agreement
column), go to Question 13.
11. Which of the following best describes the type of agreement in place between your agency and the school/school
district served by the majority of your SROs? Mark only one.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other (please specify): ___________________________
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12. Please select whether the following SRO program characteristics are specified in either the formal agreement
between your agency and the school/school district served by the majority of your SROs or internal departmental
policy:
SRO program characteristic:
Yes
No
a. Expectations for SROs when working with students
b. Expectations regarding citations and arrests by SROs
c. Expectations regarding collaboration between school officials and SROs
d. Goals of the SRO program
e. Number of officers in your SRO program
f.
g. Procedures for resolving disagreements between school officials and SROs
h. Requirement of regular meetings between school officials and SROs
i.
Responsibilities/duties of the school
j.
Role of SROs with school discipline
k. Schedule (e.g., before the school day begins, the full school day, etc.) that officers in your
SRO program will spend at school
l.
Primary functions (e.g., law enforcement, teaching, mentoring/counseling) of SROs
Supervision or administrative control of SROs
13. Are SROs required to inform school executive staff about any of the following actions occurring on a school
campus?
Action:
Yes
No
a. Stop, question, and interview of student/staff in an official law enforcement capacity
b. Question students during school hours
c. Question school employees during school hours
d. Search student
e. Search premises
f.
g. Arrest of student during school hours
h. Arrest of school employee during school hours
i.
Conduct criminal investigation
Use of restraint on student that does not result in arrest
SRO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION
14. Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires SROs?
Yes
No
Go to Question 16
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15. How does the school participate? Mark all that apply.
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a “good fit”
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
16. How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Mark all that apply.
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired specifically to be SROs)
Through an application process from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
17. How often do supervisors visit schools to observe SROs?
At least once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
Never
Other (please specify): __________________________________________________________
18. Does your agency have access to data (e.g., number or type of incident) on any of the following measures related
to SRO activities in the schools they serve?
Activity:
Yes
No
a. Arrests made by SRO
b. Citations issued by SRO
c. Classes/programs taught by SRO
d. Mentoring activities performed by SRO
e. Mentoring of faculty/staff performed by SRO
f.
g. Property crimes reported at school
h. Reports of violence at school
i.
Substance violations recorded at school (e.g., possession, use, buying/selling)
j.
Suspensions recorded at school
Mentoring of parents/community performed by SRO
k. Use of force incidents
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SRO STAFFING
19. As of September 30, 2017, how many of the following personnel are primarily assigned to any public K-12 schools?
Type of personnel:
Number
a. Sworn officers
b. Nonsworn employees
c. Total
If your agency does not employ sworn officers who are primarily assigned to schools, but does employ
nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to schools, please complete the Nonsworn SROs section
(Questions 30 – 39).
SWORN SROs
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR THE SWORN OFFICERS WHO SERVE YOUR SRO PROGRAM.
20. Provide the number of sworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex.
Race/Hispanic origin:
Male
Female
Total
Characteristic:
All
Some
None
a. have arrest powers?
b. receive specialized SRO training?
a. White, non-Hispanic
b. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
e. Asian, non-Hispanic
f.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL (SUM OF A-H)
21. Do the sworn officers who are primarily assigned to public K-12 schools…
If none of your agency’s sworn officers who are primarily assigned to schools receive specialized SRO training,
go to Question 23.
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22. Do any of the following entities provide SRO-specific training to sworn officers in your agency?
Entity:
Yes
No
a. Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
b. School district
c. State organization
d. National organization (e.g., NASRO)
e. Other (please specify): __________________________
TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO SWORN SROs
23. Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to sworn officers in your SRO
program? Please consider training provided to all sworn officers or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic:
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
d. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
e. Responding to incidents in the classroom
f.
g. Use of deadly force
h. Use of less lethal force
Social media monitoring
24. Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your agency to sworn officers in
your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all sworn officers or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f.
Truancy intervention
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25. Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency to sworn officers in your SRO
program? Please consider training provided to all sworn officers or specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topic:
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Working with students with disabilities
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY SWORN SROs
26. Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on
duty. Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement
with schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing criminal citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
f.
g. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
h. Social media monitoring
Responding to incidents in the classroom
27. Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on duty.
Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
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28. Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn SROs while on duty. Only
mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
distracted driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty/staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
29. Which of the following equipment are issued to sworn SROs by your agency and which are allowed while on the
school campus? Mark only one per row.
Issued by agency
Not issued by agency
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
a. Uniform
b. Firearm
c. Baton/nightstick
d. Body-worn camera
e. Conducted energy device (e.g., Taser)
f.
g. Hobble restraints
h. OC Spray/foam
i.
Item:
Handheld metal detector wand
Other (please specify): __________________________
If your agency does not employ any nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to schools (Question 19b
was ‘0’), go to Question 40.
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NONSWORN SROs
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR THE NONSWORN EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE YOUR SRO PROGRAM.
30. Provide the number of nonsworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex.
Race/Hispanic origin:
Male
Female
Total
a. White, non-Hispanic
b. Black or African American, non-Hispanic
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
e. Asian, non-Hispanic
f.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL (SUM OF A-H)
31. Do the nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to public K-12 schools…
Characteristic:
All
Some
None
a. wear a uniform while working in schools?
b. receive specialized SRO training?
If none of your agency’s nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to schools receive specialized SRO
training, go to Question 33.
32. Do any of the following entities provide SRO-specific training to nonsworn employees in your agency?
Entity:
Yes
No
a. Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
b. School district
c. State organization
d. National organization (e.g., NASRO)
e. Other (please specify): __________________________
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TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO NONSWORN SROs
33. Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to nonsworn employees in your
SRO program? Please consider training provided to all nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic:
Yes
No
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in schools
b. De-escalation strategies and techniques
c. Gangs
d. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
e. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
f.
g. Social media monitoring
h. Use of less lethal force
Responding to incidents in the classroom
34. Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your agency to nonsworn employees
in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f.
Truancy intervention
35. Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency to nonsworn employees in
your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topic:
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Working with students with disabilities
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ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY NONSWORN SROs
36. Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn SROs while on
duty. Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement
with schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing citations
c. Patrolling school facilities
d. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
e. Responding to incidents in the classroom
f.
Security audits/assessments of school campuses
g. Social media monitoring
37. Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn SROs while on duty.
Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
38. Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn SROs while on duty.
Only mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
distracted driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty/staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
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39. Which of the following equipment are issued to nonsworn SROs by your agency and which are allowed while on the
school campus? Mark only one per row.
Issued by agency
Not issued by agency
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
Allowed
on campus
Not
allowed
a. Baton/nightstick
b. Body-worn camera
c. Conducted energy device (e.g., Taser)
d. Handheld metal detector wand
e. Hobble restraints
f.
Item:
OC Spray/foam
g. Other (please specify): __________________________
If your agency ONLY has nonsworn employees primarily assigned to schools, this completes your response.
Please return your survey to RTI.
40. In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers from your jurisdiction who
are primarily assigned to work in K-12 public schools. We will use this list to randomly select some of these
individual officers to receive a survey about activities they perform. Included on the form is guidance for
anonymizing the list of officers should you prefer not to provide direct identification of the officers.
A copy of the survey that will be sent to selected SROs is available for your review at https://bjslecs.org/SROPreview.pdf.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes
No
Go to Question 41 and please complete the Officer Roster Form.
Please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information and return your survey to RTI:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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41. For purposes of administrating the officer survey, would your agency prefer to have a single point of contact to
distribute the officer survey or have our team directly contact the officers?
Single point of contact. Please provide contact information:
Name: ________________________________________
Title: __________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
______________________________________
Phone: (______)______Email: _________________________________________
Contact officers directly (Note: this can only be done when officer name and email address are included on the
roster. The person who completed this survey and provided their information on page 1 will be listed on the
officers’ survey materials to verify that the agency authorized their participation.)
END
Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this survey. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Alissa Chambers at
RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2017 SLEPS LEA Pre-test
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
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Appendix B:
SRO Questionnaire
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
School Resource Officer (SRO) Survey
2017 Pre-test
In correspondence about this survey, please refer to the SRO ID number printed below.
SRO ID:
Password:
Agency:
INSTRUCTIONS
•
This survey should be completed by the selected sworn law enforcement officer with general arrest powers who is
primarily assigned to any public K–12 school. For the purposes of this survey, we will refer to the officer as an SRO.
•
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (34 U.S.C. § 10132), authorizes this information
collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate,
and timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.
•
If you have any questions about this survey, visit the SLEPS web site at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2017 or contact Alissa
Chambers at RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
BURDEN STATEMENT
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information, unless it displays a current valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection
of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW,
Washington, DC 20531.
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2017 SLEPS SRO Pre-test
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
Page 1 of 8
«AGENCY_ID»-«SRO_SS»-«counter»
INFORMED CONSENT
Description and Purpose of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS): SLEPS collects data on law
enforcement agencies and school resource officers across the United States. You have been selected from a scientific
sample of approximately 460 School Resource Officers from across the country.
Sponsor: The survey is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). RTI International,
a not-for-profit research organization, is conducting the study on the behalf of BJS.
Procedures: The survey may be completed online, faxed, or mailed back in a prepaid envelope. It is estimated to take
about 30 minutes to complete, on average.
Financial Considerations: There is no monetary incentive for completing the survey.
Voluntary Participation: Your participation is completely voluntary. You can refuse to answer any and all questions.
Privacy and Confidentiality: The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is authorized to conduct this data collection under 34
U.S.C § 10132. BJS will protect and maintain the confidentiality of your personally identifiable information (PII) to the
fullest extent under federal law. BJS, its employees, and its contractors will only use the information you provide for
statistical or research purposes pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10134, and will not disclose your information in identifiable form
to anyone outside of the BJS project team without your consent. All PII collected under BJS’s authority is protected under
the confidentiality provisions of 34 U.S.C. § 10231. Any person who violates these provisions may be punished by a fine of
up to $10,000 in addition to any other penalties imposed by law. Further, per the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015
(6 U.S.C. § 151), federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of
transmitted data. For more information on how BJS and its contractors will use and protect your information, go to
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/BJS_Data_Protection_Guidelines.pdf.
Possible Benefits and Risks: There are no direct benefits to you for participating in the survey. The potential exists for
loss of privacy, though our procedures are designed to protect and secure your information.
Further Questions: If you have any questions about the survey now or in the future you can contact the RTI Project
Director, Duren Banks at 1-800-334-8571, extension 28026.
Statement of Consent: I have read the description of this survey provided above and I understand it. I have been
informed of the risks and benefits involved, and all my questions have been answered to my satisfaction. Furthermore, I
have been assured that any future questions that I may have will also be answered. I freely and voluntarily agree to
participate in SLEPS.
By completing this survey, I am indicating my agreement to participate in SLEPS.
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2017 SLEPS SRO Pre-test
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
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SRO CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Approximately how many years have you served as a sworn law enforcement officer? Mark only one.
2.
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO in your career? Please count the total number of years
you’ve worked as an SRO even if you held other positions at times. Mark only one.
3.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO at your current assignment? Mark only one.
4.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Is your assignment as an SRO a single permanent assignment (i.e., you only serve as an SRO) or do you rotate to
other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
5.
Are you currently certified by a national or state SRO association? Mark all that apply.
Yes – national association (i.e. NASRO)
Yes – state association
No
6.
For what part of the year are you currently assigned as an SRO? Mark only one.
During part of the school year
During the full traditional school year
Year-round
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7.
To how many schools are you currently assigned as an SRO? Please do not include schools where you might be
called in to help, but are not part of your official assignment.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more
SRO TRAINING
The next set of questions is about your training on law enforcement, prevention and planning, and social and
behavioral topics.
8.
9.
At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following law enforcement topics?
Law enforcement activity/topic:
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
d. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
e. Responding to incidents in the classroom
f.
g. Use of deadly force
h. Use of less lethal force
Social media monitoring
At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following prevention and planning
topics?
Prevention and planning topic/activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness,
distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f.
Truancy intervention
U.S. Department of Justice
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10. At any point during your career, have you received any training on any of the following social and behavioral
topics?
Social and behavioral topic:
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Students with disabilities
SRO ACTIVITIES
The next set of questions is about activities you performed in the past 30 days as part of your SRO duties. We
are interested in law enforcement, mentoring, and teaching activities.
11. As part of your SRO duties, which of the following law enforcement activities did you perform on or around school
grounds in the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Conducted searches
Confiscated drugs
Confiscated weapons
Crisis preparedness planning
Issued criminal citations
Made arrests
Patrolled school facilities
Responded to calls for service on the school campus
Responded to incidents in the classroom
Security audits/assessments of school campuses
Social media monitoring
Other (please specify): ___________________________
None of the above
12. As part of your SRO duties, which of the following mentoring activities did you perform on or around school grounds
in the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Advised school staff, students, or families (one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
Coached athletic programs
Field trip chaperone
Supervised/coordinated non-athletic extracurricular activities
Truancy intervention
Other (please specify): ___________________________
None of the above
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13.
As part of your SRO duties, which of the following teaching activities did you perform on or around school grounds in
the past 30 days? Mark all that apply or mark "None of the above."
Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, distracted driving)
Conflict resolution
Faculty/staff in-service presentations
Parent organization presentations
Other (please specify): ___________________________
None of the above
14. Approximately what percentage of your duty time was spent on the following in-school activities over the
past 30 days? If you do not perform an activity, enter “0”. The total of all activities should be 100%.
Percentage
(out of 100)
Activity:
a. Conducting law enforcement activities
b. Conducting mentoring activities with students/staff/families
c. Conducting teaching activities
d. Administrative functions/paperwork related to the above activities
e. Other (please specify): ______________________________________
Total
100%
15. During the past 12 months, have you arrested any student(s) for the following offenses?
Offense:
Yes
No
a. Assault on school staff/faculty/security/SROs
b. Disorderly conduct
c. Drug distribution
d. Drug possession
e. Electronic/social media crimes (e.g., cyberbullying, sexting)
f.
g. Fighting
h. Theft
i.
Threats against faculty
j.
Threats against school facility
k. Threats against students
l.
m. Weapon use
n. Other (please specify): _______________________________
Failure to obey a police officer
Weapon possession
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16. If you are in a situation where you arrest a student, what role does the school administration play in your arrest
decision? Mark only one.
No impact, as arrest determination is made solely by myself or other sworn personnel
Memorandum of understanding or other agreement specifies situations where the school can have influence
over my arrest decisions
School administration reviews all arrest-eligible incidents and can provide input regarding my arrest decision
SROs do not have arrest powers in my assigned school
Other (please specify):__________________________________________________________
17. Do you speak any language other than English?
Yes (Please specify):____________________________________________________________
No Go to Question 19
18. Is this other language useful when interacting with students in the school to which you are assigned?
Yes
No
PRIMARILY ASSIGNED SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS
The next set of questions focuses on the school to which you are primarily assigned. If you are assigned to more than
one school, please answer based on the school where you spend most of your time. If your time is split evenly between
2 or more schools, please answer based on the school you worked in most recently.
19. Which type of school do you primarily serve in your current assignment as an SRO? Mark only one.
Elementary school (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8)
Middle school (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9)
High school (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12)
Combined school (e.g., K–8, K–12)
20. On average, how many hours per week do you work at this school? _______
21. Are there known gangs at your primarily assigned school?
Yes
No
Don’t know
22. Not counting yourself, how many SROs share your shift at your primarily assigned school?
__________
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23. Other than SROs, what security measures are in place at your primarily assigned school? Mark all that apply or mark
"None of the above."
Closed campus (students not allowed to leave during school hours without permission)
Controlled access to school buildings during school hours (e.g., locked or monitored doors)
Controlled access to school grounds (e.g., locked or monitored gates)
Metal detectors
Random sweeps for contraband (e.g., drugs, weapons), including dog sniffs
School-issued student IDs
School security guards, nonsworn
Security camera(s) to monitor school buildings and/or grounds
Structured anonymous threat reporting system (e.g., online submission, text messaging, telephone hotline)
Student dress code/uniform
Other means of restricting access (please specify): ___________________________________
Other measures not listed (please specify): _________________________________________
None of the above
24. Restorative practices are intended to build a sense of school community and resolve conflict by repairing harm and
restoring positive relationships. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a school-wide intervention
that teaches school staff to recognize, monitor, and reward appropriate student behaviors and to provide consistent
sanctions for rule violations.
Are you involved in the process of engaging students in restorative practices and/or PBIS at your primarily assigned
school?
Yes
No
Don’t know/not familiar with these practices
25. We would like to obtain information about the school you primarily work in by linking to data that has been collected
about that school in other surveys. In order to access information about the school, we will need to know the name of
the school. We will only use the name of the school to access information collected from other surveys about the
characteristics of that particular school (i.e. the size and composition of the student population) and will not release
your data to any agency or individual who is not directly involved with our research. The Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS) will use this information for research purposes only. What is the name and location of the school in which you
primarily work?
School Name ___________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State________________
END
Thank You!
Thank you for participating in this survey. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Alissa Chambers at
RTI by telephone at (866) 309-4564 or by email at sleps@rti.org.
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
2017 SLEPS SRO Pre-test
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
Page 8 of 8
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Attachment 10: LEA pre-notification letter
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
I am pleased to announce that the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has begun preparations for the 2019 Survey
of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). SLEPS is a new data collection effort regarding the role and
presence of law enforcement officers in schools. While many law enforcement personnel across the nation work
closely with schools to ensure that each is a safe place for learning, and free from threats of crime and violence,
little is known about the scope and duties of the law enforcement personnel who actually work in the schools.
In the next few weeks, BJS will invite <> to participate in the 2019 SLEPS; specifically,
your agency will be asked to complete an online survey focusing on the policies, responsibilities, recruitment,
and training as they pertain to your officers working in K-12 public schools. Your agency will also be asked to
provide a roster of your officers working in schools, which will then be used to select officers to receive an
invitation to complete an officer-level questionnaire. Officers will be asked about their length of law enforcement
experience, training, and activities conducted while working in schools.
I appreciate that you receive a number of data requests throughout the year and I thank you for your support for
SLEPS. If you have questions about SLEPS, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564
or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact the Bureau
of Justice Statistics Program Manager Elizabeth Davis at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey H. Anderson, Director
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 11: LEA invitation letter
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is working with RTI International (RTI), a
not-for-profit research organization, on an effort regarding the role and presence of law enforcement officers in
schools. While many law enforcement personnel across the nation work closely with schools to ensure that each
is a safe place for learning, and free from threats of crime and violence, little is known about the scope and duties
of the law enforcement personnel who actually work in the schools.
Your law enforcement agency has been selected to participate in the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in
Schools (SLEPS). Ultimately, the results of SLEPS will generate current statistics about the characteristics,
policies, and responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools. There are two phases to the SLEPS. The
first phase is an agency-level questionnaire, which we are contacting you about now, and includes a request for
you to provide a roster of your officers working in schools. The roster will be used to select officers for the second
phase, which is an officer-level questionnaire.
This effort has also garnered the support of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF; see letter of support).
You may participate in the first phase of the data collection in one of two ways:
1. Complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using the following credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
2. Complete a paper version of the questionnaire, which can be requested using the RTI contact
information below.
Please complete this questionnaire by Month XX, 20XX.
Your participation in both phases is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other agencies like yours. Once
we complete the first phase, we will contact you regarding the second phase. You may preview the officer level
questionnaire used in the second phase here: https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019/SRO-Preview.pdf. If you have
questions about SLEPS, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at
Page 2
sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667
or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
BJS is authorized to conduct this data collection under 34 U.S.C § 10132. BJS and its data collection agents will only use the
information you provide for statistical or research purposes pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10134, and will not disclose your
information in identifiable form to anyone outside of the BJS project team without your consent. All personally identifiable
information (PII) collected under BJS’s authority is protected under the confidentiality provisions of 34 U.S.C. § 10231. Any
person who violates these provisions may be punished by a fine of up to $10,000 in addition to any other penalties imposed
by law. Further, per the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. § 151), federal information systems are protected
from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data. For more information on how BJS and its data
collection agents will use and protect your information, go to
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/BJS_Data_Protection_Guidelines.pdf.
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosure: PERF Letter of Support
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/20XX
Attachment 12: PERF letter of support
[Type here]
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
I am writing in support of the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS),
funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The Police
Executive Research Forum (PERF) is excited to work with BJS and RTI International (RTI) in
this important effort to develop national estimates regarding school safety programs and the
activities of school-based officers.
The SLEPS effort your agency was invited to participate in is important in generating nationallyrepresentative statistics related to law enforcement personnel in schools. PERF fully supports
BJS and RTI’s work in this area, because this type of national data collection has not been
conducted for almost a decade.
After results from SLEPS are analyzed, findings can be used to develop federal funding
strategies and other strategies to ensure that officers in schools are deployed and serve in a
manner that promotes school safety, prevents violence and other problem behaviors, supports
healthy behaviors among students, and ensures effective response when violence occurs.
Our team thanks you in advance for participation in SLEPS. If you have any questions about this
project, please feel free to contact Dr. Sean Goodison at PERF (sgoodison@policeforum.org) or
Dr. Duren Banks at RTI (durenbanks@rti.org).
Sincerely,
Chuck Wexler
Executive Director
Police Executive Research Forum
■WE PROVIDE PROGRESS IN POLICING
1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 930 Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202.466.7820 Fax: 202.466.7826 TTY: 202.466.2670 www.PoliceForum.org
Attachment 13: LEA 1st reminder (letter)
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) recently mailed you an invitation to participate in the Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). The questionnaire due date is Month XX, 20XX and we hope you
will be able to respond by then. If you have already completed the questionnaire, please accept my sincere thank
you.
If you have not completed your questionnaire, please do so as soon as possible. BJS is conducting SLEPS to
generate current statistics about the characteristics, policies, and responsibilities of law enforcement programs
in schools. Your participation is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other agencies like yours.
Please complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using the following
credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
If you would prefer to complete the questionnaire on paper, you may download and print a paper version on the
SLEPS website. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or email at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202)
305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 14: LEA 2nd reminder (postcard)
Dear Chief [NAME],
OMB No. XXXX-xxxx
Exp. Date xx/xx/xxxx
Two weeks ago, a survey was mailed to you because your agency was selected to
participate in a study about the role of law enforcement personnel in schools.
Our records show that your agency has not submitted the Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS) questionnaire as of <>. If you have already submitted the survey, thank you very much. If not,
please submit your agency survey by Month XX, 20XX.
The survey takes about 30 minutes to complete and is important because your
agency represents others like it nationwide.
Please note that you can also complete the survey online by visiting
https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 and using your secure login:
USERNAME: «Username»
PASSWORD: «Password»
Thank you for your help with this important research. If you have any questions
or would like a copy of the survey sent to you, please contact Dustin Williams, by
phone at (866) 309-4564, or e-mail at sleps@rti.org.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 15: LEA 3rd reminder (email)
To: «LEA POC Email»
Subject: Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Body of Email:
Dear «TITLE» «NAME»:
Over the past 2 months, materials related to the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in
Schools (SLEPS) were sent to you by mail. This email message is to request confirmation that
we have successfully reached you and encourage you to complete the survey.
The due date is [due date]. I understand that you receive a number of survey requests and I
genuinely appreciate your attention to this request.
The information contained in the mailed materials is provided below. Thank you for your help
with this important research.
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) recently mailed you an invitation to participate in the
Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). The questionnaire due date is Month
XX, 20XX and we hope you will be able to respond by then. If you have already completed the
questionnaire, please accept my sincere thank you.
If you have not completed your questionnaire, please complete it as soon as possible. BJS is
conducting SLEPS to generate current statistics about the characteristics, policies, and
responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools. Your participation is critical to SLEPS
and will represent many other agencies like yours.
Please complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using
the following credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
If you would prefer to complete the questionnaire on paper, you may download and print a paper
version on the SLEPS website. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by
phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this
data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
Page 2
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 16: LEA 4th reminder (letter)
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
I am writing to encourage you to submit data for your agency for the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in
Schools (SLEPS). Our records show that as of Month XX, 20XX, your agency has not submitted a
questionnaire. BJS is conducting SLEPS to generate current statistics about the characteristics, policies, and
responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools. Your participation is important to these efforts.
You may participate in SLEPS in one of two ways:
1. Complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using the following credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
2. Complete the paper questionnaire included in this packet and return it using the enclosed prepaid
envelope.
Your participation is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other agencies like yours. We look forward to
receiving your response by Month X, 20XX. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by
phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this data
collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Page 2
Enclosures: SLEPS LEA Questionnaire, SRO Rostering Form, Prepaid Envelope
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/20XX
Attachment 17: LEA nonresponse telephone prompting script
Nonresponse Telephone Prompting
Basic script
Hello. My name is [First name Last name] and I am calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics
regarding the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools. May I speak to [Agency Head]?
About a month and a half ago, we sent you a mailing introducing the the Survey of Law Enforcement
Personnel in Schools.
Potential scripts, depending on situation
[Generic message] The survey was due on [date] and we haven’t received your questionnaire yet. I’m
calling to see if you will be able to provide the necessary questionnaire data for your agency and if there
is anything I can do to assist you in submitting your questionnaire.
Outcomes of phone call
Depending on the Agency Head’s response, you may do one of the following:
•
•
•
•
Address concerns
Answer questions
Negotiate a new due date. Below are some guidelines for negotiating a later due date.
Employ refusal conversion. Since we are contacting non-responders, some agencies will decline
to participate in the questionnaire. We want to convert refusals and convince agencies to
participate in some manner, even if they cannot or will not complete the full questionnaire. Here
are some talking points to convert telephone refusals; text should be modified to fit the situation.
o We can collect the information via phone or send a form via mail, e-mail or fax.
o Offer to send the study information again
Ask how they would prefer to receive the information (e-mail, mail, fax)
Confirm contact information
Offer your direct call-back number should they have further questions
Voicemail Message
Hello. My name is <> and I am calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice
Statistics regarding the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools. We have not yet received your
response, and I was calling to see if there is anything I can do to assist you in submitting the survey.
Please contact me, toll-free, at <>. Again, that number is <>. Thank
you; I look forward to talking to you at your earliest convenience.
Attachment 18: LEA 5th reminder (email)
To: «LEA POC Email»
Subject: Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Body of Email:
Dear «TITLE» «NAME»:
Over the past 3 months, materials related to the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in
Schools (SLEPS) were sent to you by mail. We have not received a response from you, so we are
sending this message to request confirmation that we have successfully reached you and
encourage you to complete the survey and contact us if you have any questions related to the
data collection.
The due date is [due date]. I understand that you receive a number of survey requests and I
genuinely appreciate your attention to this request.
The information contained in the mailed materials is provided below. Thank you for your help
with this important research.
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) recently mailed you an invitation to participate in the
Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). The questionnaire due date is Month
XX, 20XX and we hope you will be able to respond by then. If you have already completed the
questionnaire, please accept my sincere thank you.
If you have not completed your questionnaire, please do so as soon as possible. BJS is
conducting SLEPS to generate current statistics about the characteristics, policies, and
responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools. Your participation is critical to SLEPS
and will represent many other agencies like yours.
Please complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using
the following credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
If you would prefer to complete the questionnaire on paper, you may download and print a paper
version on the SLEPS website. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by
Page 2
phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this
data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 19: LEA end-of-study letter
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
We have made several attempts to contact you over the past few months regarding your agency’s participation
in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). Your law
enforcement agency is among a select group of agencies asked to participate in this data collection.
We are writing today to notify you that there are only a couple weeks remaining to complete the survey. We
must receive your response by Month XX, 20XX to ensure that the study results accurately reflect the
characteristics and activities of your agency. BJS is conducting this survey to generate current statistics about
the characteristics, policies, and responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools. Your participation is
important to these efforts.
Please complete the questionnaire and roster online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using the
following credentials:
USERNAME: «Username» PASSWORD: «Password»
Alternatively, if you would prefer to complete the questionnaire and roster on paper, hard copies were provided
in the reminder package mailed a few weeks ago. If you would like a new hard copy, please use the contact
information below or you may download and print a paper version on the SLEPS website.
If you have questions about SLEPS, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or email at sleps@rti.org. If you have general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 3052667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 20: LEA thank you letter
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and RTI International, I would like to thank you for your
participation in the 2019 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). I truly appreciate your
support in completing this survey. Your participation is vital to helping BJS generate current statistics about the
characteristics, policies, and responsibilities of law enforcement programs in schools.
This letter confirms that we have received your survey and are currently processing the data. RTI will contact
you if there are any questions about the answers your agency has submitted. We will be contacting you again in
a few weeks to request your assistance with the second phase of SLEPS.
If you have any general comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at (202) 305-2667 or
Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov. If you have questions about SLEPS, need to change the point of contact at your
agency, or need to update your contact information, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI at (866) 309-4564 or
sleps@rti.org.
Thank you again for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 21: SRO POC invitation letter
Month XX, 2018
«POC_TITLE» «POC_FN» «POC_LN»
«AGENCY_NAME»
«POC_STREET»
«POC_CITY», «AGENCY_ADDRESS_STATE» «POC_ZIP»
Dear «POC_TITLE» «POC_LN»,
Thank you for your participation in the first phase of the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). Using the roster you provided with the Law Enforcement Agency
(LEA) Survey, we selected «SRO_SS» School Resource Officers (SROs) from your agency to participate in the
second phase of SLEPS, the SRO Survey.
Included in this mailing are envelopes for each selected SRO, labeled with the information you provided on the
LEA Survey. Each SRO will receive (1) a letter inviting the SRO to participate in the survey and (2) the Police
Executive Research Forum (PERF) letter of support.
Please distribute these envelopes as soon as possible. Each letter includes a person-specific password to
complete the SRO survey so it is important to distribute these envelopes based on the information you provided
on the LEA Survey. Each letter contains your contact information should the SRO have questions about their
authority to participate in the survey; they are instructed to contact Dustin Williams at RTI International should
they have any questions about the survey.
The participation of the SROs from your agency is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other SROs like
them. We look forward to receiving their responses by Month XX, 20XX. If you have questions about SLEPS,
please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any
general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov..
Thank you in advance for coordinating the participation of your agency’s SROs.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosures: «SRO_SS» School Resource Officer (SRO) Envelopes«REQUEST»
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/20XX
«AGENCY_ID»-«SRO_SS»
Attachment 22: SRO invitation letter
Month XX, 20XX
Dear «AGENCY_NAME» SRO,
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is working with RTI International (RTI), a not-for-profit research
organization, on an effort regarding the role and presence of law enforcement officers in schools. While many
law enforcement personnel across the nation work closely with schools to ensure that each is a safe place for
learning and free from threats of crime and violence, little is known about the scope and duties of the law
enforcement personnel who actually work in the schools.
This effort is the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). Ultimately, the results of the
national data collection will generate current statistics about school resource officers, including their training,
experience, and activities.
This request has been approved by «AGENCY_NAME»; this survey is also supported by the National
Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO; see attached letter of support).
You have been selected to participate in SLEPS. Please use the following information to log onto the SLEPS
website (https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019) to complete the questionnaire.
USERNAME: «SRO_UserName»
PASSWORD: «SRO_Password»
Please complete this questionnaire by Month XX, 20XX.
Your participation is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other School Resource Officers like you. If you
have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or email at sleps@rti.org. If
you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or
Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
BJS is authorized to conduct this data collection under 34 U.S.C § 10132. BJS and its data collection agents will only use the
information you provide for statistical or research purposes pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10134, and will not disclose your
information in identifiable form to anyone outside of the BJS project team without your consent. All personally identifiable
information (PII) collected under BJS’s authority is protected under the confidentiality provisions of 34 U.S.C. § 10231. Any
person who violates these provisions may be punished by a fine of up to $10,000 in addition to any other penalties imposed
by law. Further, per the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. § 151), federal information systems are protected
from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data. For more information on how BJS and its data
collection agents will use and protect your information, go to
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/BJS_Data_Protection_Guidelines.pdf.
If you have any questions about your agency’s participation in this survey please contact «POC_TITLE»
«POC_FN» «POC_LN» at «PHONE».
Thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosure: PERF Letter of Support
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/20XX
«AGENCY_ID»-«SRO_SS»-«counter»
Attachment 23: NASRO letter of support
[NASRO letterhead]
Date
Dear [SRO],
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), working with RTI International (RTI), is fielding the 2019
Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS) and you have been selected to
participate. The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) is hoping that you
will participate in this important project.
The information that will be produced by this survey will be very valuable to law enforcement
agencies such as yours and school safety overall. From the survey results, you will be able to
learn about characteristics and activities of other school resource officers (SROs) nationwide.
For instance, you will learn about training, regular activities performed in schools, career
experience, and school assignment characteristics. You will be able to assess your own duties
and experience in relation to the national picture.
I write to strongly encourage you to complete the survey. BJS is committed to protecting the
privacy of the information you provide. By law, BJS can only use your responses to produce
statistics. No information about you or your agency will be identified from these statistics. The
receipt of information from all selected SROs will greatly enhance the data produced by this
project. We know that you have many responsibilities and limited time, but we hope that you
will provide the requested information and contribute to this effort. Your participation will help
ensure that the 2019 SLEPS is a success and that the results can be used with confidence.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important endeavor.
Sincerely,
Sergeant Bill West, President
National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)
Attachment 24: SRO POC reminder email
To: «LEA POC Email»
Subject: Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Body of Email:
Dear «TITLE» «NAME»:
Thank you for your participation in the first phase of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of
Justice Statistics’ Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). Two weeks ago,
we mailed a packet of surveys to be completed by individual officers from your agency who
work in schools because your agency was selected to participate in a study about the role of law
enforcement personnel in schools.
As of <>, our records show that not all of the surveys have been submitted. The
survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is important because your agency’s
officers represents others like them nationwide. We ask that you reach out to the officers listed
below to remind them to submit this survey by <>. We thank you and these officers
for their assistance.
[List nonresponding officers]
Please note that these officers can also submit the survey online by visiting
https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 and using the login information provided in the letter we previously
sent. If an officer needs their login information, please advise them to contact RTI (contact
information below) and reference the name, badge, number, or other identifier that was provided
on the officer roster form when your agency responded to the SLEPS survey.
Thank you for your help with this important research. If you have any questions, please contact
Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564, or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any
general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or
Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 25: SRO POC reminder letter
Month XX, 20XX
«POC_TITLE» «POC_FN» «POC_LN»
«AGENCY_NAME»
«POC_STREET»
«POC_CITY», «AGENCY_ADDRESS_STATE» «POC_ZIP»
Dear «POC_TITLE» «POC_LN»,
In the past month, you distributed survey invitations and survey reminders to the selected SROs for the second
phase of the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). We
are following up once again to encourage your participation. Included in this mailing are letters for each selected
SRO who has not yet completed their SRO survey, labeled with the information you provided on the LEA Survey.
Each of these SROs will receive a packet with (1) a letter reminding them to complete the SRO survey, (2) a
paper version of the SRO survey, and (3) a business reply envelope to return their completed survey.
Please distribute these envelopes as soon as possible. Each letter includes a person-specific password to
complete the SRO survey so it is important to distribute these envelopes based on the information you provided
on the LEA Survey. Each letter contains your contact information should the SRO have questions about their
authority to participate in the survey; they are instructed to contact Dustin Williams at RTI International should
they have any questions about the survey. You may have already contacted RTI or BJS if some of the sampled
SROs are out on leave. Please distribute the enclosed materials if and when those officers return from leave. If
the officers will not return from leave before the survey closes, please let us know and you may discard the
materials for those officers.
The participation of the SROs from your agency is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other SROs like
them. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or email at
sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667
or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We look forward to receiving their responses by Month XX, 20XX. Thank you in advance for coordinating the
participation of your agency’s SROs.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosures: «SRO_SS» School Resource Officer (SRO) Envelopes
Attachment 26: SRO reminder letter
Month XX, 20XX
Dear «AGENCY_NAME» SRO,
Our records show that as of Month XX, 20XX, you have not submitted a questionnaire for the Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS). BJS is conducting SLEPS to generate current statistics about
school resource officers, including their training, experience, and activities.
You may participate in this pre-test in one of two ways:
1. Complete the questionnaire online at https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 using the following credentials:
USERNAME: «SRO_UserName»
PASSWORD: «SRO_Password»
2. Complete the paper questionnaire included in this packet and return it using the included prepaid
envelope.
Your participation is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other School Resource Officers like you. We
look forward to receiving your response by Month XX, 20XX. If you have questions, please contact Dustin
Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or e-mail at sleps@rti.org. If you have any general comments
about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
This request has been approved by «AGENCY_NAME»; if you have any questions about your agency’s
participation in this pre-test please contact «POC_TITLE» «POC_FN» «POC_LN» at «PHONE».
We thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Enclosures: SLEPS SRO Questionnaire, Prepaid Envelope
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
«AGENCY_ID»-«SRO_SS»-«counter»
Attachment 27: SRO nonresponse telephone prompting script
SRO Nonresponse Telephone Prompting
Basic script
Hello. My name is [First name Last name] and I am calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics
regarding the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools. May I speak to [LEA POC]?
About a month and a half ago, we sent you a mailing introducing the second phase of the Survey of Law
Enforcement Personnel in Schools and survey packets for selected SROs.
Potential script depending on situation
The surveys for the second phase are due on [date] and we haven’t received the questionnaire for [insert
SRO names] yet. I’m calling to see if you will be able to follow up with these officers and encourage them
to complete their questionnaire(s) and if there is anything I can do to assist you in encouraging their
participation.
Outcomes of phone call
Depending on the Agency Head’s response, you may do one of the following:
•
•
•
Address concerns
Answer questions
Employ refusal conversion. Since we are contacting nonresponders, some agencies will decline to
follow up with nonresponding officer. We want to convert refusals and convince POCs to
encourage officer participation in some manner, even if they cannot or will not complete the full
questionnaire. Here are some talking points to convert telephone refusals; text should be modified
to fit the situation.
o We can collect the information via phone or send a form via mail, e-mail or fax.
o Offer to send the study information again
Ask how they would prefer to receive the information (e-mail, mail fax)
Confirm contact information
Offer your direct call-back number should they have further questions
Voicemail Message
Hello. My name is <> and I am calling on behalf of the Bureau of Justice
Statistics regarding the Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools. We have not yet received the
responses for all officers selected from your agency, and I was calling to see if there is anything I can do
to assist you in encouraging their participation. Please contact me, toll-free, at <>.
Again, that number is <>. Thank you; I look forward to talking to you at your earliest
convenience.
Attachment 28: SRO POC end-of-study letter
Month XX, 20XX
«POC_TITLE» «POC_FN» «POC_LN»
«AGENCY_NAME»
«POC_STREET»
«POC_CITY», «AGENCY_ADDRESS_STATE» «POC_ZIP»
Dear «POC_TITLE» «POC_LN»,
We have reached out to you several times over the past few months regarding the participation of SROs from
your agency in the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS).
These officers are among a select group of officers asked to participate in this data collection.
We are writing today to notify you that we have not received responses from all SROs selected from your agency
and there are only a couple weeks remaining for officers to complete the survey. We must receive their responses
by Month XX, 20XX to ensure that the study results accurately reflect the characteristics and activities of officers
in your agency.
We ask that you reach out to the officers listed below to inform them the survey is closing and encourage
them to submit responses.
[List nonresponding officers]
Please note that these officers can also submit the survey online by visiting https://bjslecs.org/sleps2019 and
using the login information provided in the letters we previously sent. If an officer needs their login
information, please advise them to contact RTI (contact information below) and reference the name, badge,
number, or other identifier that was provided on the officer roster form in phase 1 of SLEPS.
The participation of the SROs from your agency is critical to SLEPS and will represent many other SROs like
them. If you have questions, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI by phone at (866) 309-4564 or email at
sleps@rti.org. If you have general comments about this data collection, please contact me at (202) 305-2667 or
Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov.
We look forward to receiving their responses by Month XX, 20XX. Thank you in advance for coordinating the
participation of your agency’s SROs.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
OMB No. XXXX-XXXX; Approval Expires XX/XX/XXXX
«AGENCY_ID»-«SRO_SS»-«counter»
Attachment 29: SRO POC thank you letter
Month XX, 20XX
«CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»
OR CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
«AGENCY_NAME»
«Address1» «Address2»
«City_Name», «State_Code» «Zip_Zip4»
Dear «CONTACT_TITLE» «CONTACT_NAME»,
On behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and RTI International, I would like to thank you for
coordinating the officer survey portion of the 2019 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS).
I truly appreciate your efforts in distributing materials and following up with the selected officers in your
agency. Your participation is vital to helping BJS generate current statistics about school resource officers,
including their training, experience, and activities.
If you have any general comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at (202) 305-2667 or
Elizabeth.Davis@usdoj.gov. If you have questions about SLEPS, need to change the point of contact at your
agency, or need to update your contact information, please contact Dustin Williams at RTI at (866) 309-4564 or
sleps@rti.org.
Thank you again for your participation.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis
SLEPS Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
December 15, 2016
2016 Survey of Law Enforcement
Personnel in Schools (SLEPS):
Cognitive Testing of the Law
Enforcement Agency Survey and
the School Resource Officer
Survey
Final Report
Prepared for
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Elizabeth Davis
Prepared by
RTI International
Emilia Peytcheva
Duren Banks
Police Executive Research Forum
Sean Goodison
RTI International
3040 Cornwallis Road
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
CONTENTS
Section
Page
1.
Introduction .......................................................................................... 1
2.
Methodology ......................................................................................... 1
2.1
Overview ...................................................................................... 2
2.2
Interview Procedures ...................................................................... 3
2.3
Cognitive Interview Findings and Recommendations ............................ 3
2.3.1
LEA Questionnaire ................................................................ 3
2.3.2
SRO Questionnaire ............................................................. 34
Appendices
A
SLEPS LEA Survey Cognitive Interviewing Protocol
B
2016 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS) School
Resource Officer (SRO) Survey
ii
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
TABLES
Number
1.
Page
Type of Cognitive Interviews by Recruitment Stratification ................... 2
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
1. INTRODUCTION
Through its National Crime Victimization Survey and the School Crime Supplement,
the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) provides statistics on crime incidents
occurring at schools. However, there is currently no national-level data on the
number, roles and functions of police officers assigned to schools. The Survey of
Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS) will fill this gap by identifying a
national roster of active law enforcement agencies operating in K-12 public schools,
and generating detailed and accurate statistics on the scope, size, characteristics
and functions of law enforcement personnel in schools.
The SLEPS data collection will include two surveys, one conducted with law
enforcement agencies that employ one or more full-time, sworn officers who are
assigned primarily to work in schools (school resource officers). The LEA survey will
estimate the number of officers assigned to work in schools, policies for officer
assignments and expectations for their work in schools, and practices to supervise
school resource officers. The LEA survey will also request a roster of school
resource officers to support sampling for the officer-level survey. A second survey,
conducted with school resource officers, will measure officer characteristics,
training, and practices performed as part of their assignments in schools.
RTI and its partner the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), conducted a
literature review and expert panel meeting in 2014 to develop initial drafts of the
LEA- and SRO-level questionnaires. Those questionnaires were then refined in
collaboration with BJS, the National Institute of Justice, and other project
stakeholders. The draft questionnaires were then subject to cognitive interviews
with a sample of LEA and SRO respondents.
This report details the qualitative research conducted by RTI International to
investigate how to best ask questions related to Law Enforcement Agencies’ (LEA)
characteristics, School Resource Officer (SRO) programs, program-related policies,
SRO recruitment and training, SRO characteristics and activities. We describe the
details of conducting cognitive interviews with SROs and LEAs, providing the
background, methodology, findings and recommendations.
2. METHODOLOGY
The goal of the two rounds of cognitive testing (one with LEAs, and one with SROs)
was to evaluate the draft questionnaires and test if the questions function as
intended. To maximize the spread of agency characteristics, LEAs were identified
based on several criteria. The initial list consisted of agencies PERF identified as
1
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
leaders in SRO programs based on participation in previous research. Once these
agencies were identified, additional LEAs were randomly selected to provide equal
representation across four strata (agency size, agency type, recency of SRO
program prior, and urbanicity of jurisdiction served). A total of 97 agencies were
contacted and 22 agreed to participate, resulting in 20 LEA interviews. Similarly, a
total of 81 SROs were contacted and 25 agreed to participate, resulting in 18 SRO
interviews. Table 1 presents a summary of LEA and SRO cognitive interview
participants’ characteristics.
Table 1.
Type of Cognitive Interviews by Recruitment Stratification
Cognitive interview type
Stratification Variables
LEA
SRO
20
18
4
8
100+ officers
16
10
Urban jurisdiction
17
14
Non-urban jurisdiction
3
4
2008 or later
7
5
Prior to 2008
13
13
Local police
11
13
Sheriff's office
8
3
School-based LEA
1
2
Total
Agency size
< 100 officers
Urbanicity
Recency of SRO program
Agency type
2.1
Overview
Cognitive interviewing for the LEA and SRO instruments took place in parallel in the
month of November and the first week of December, 2016. The interviews took
about 60 minutes apiece and were conducted over the phone. Respondents were
sent the questionnaires in advance of the interview via e-mail. The actual interview
was preceded by an informed consent procedure.
Respondents in the cognitive interviews were asked to complete the respective
questionnaire during the call and think aloud in order to demonstrate how they
understood a specific question, or how they came up with a particular response.
2
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
During this process, interviewers guided the discussion to gain deeper
understanding of the thought process and potential problems with the questions.
Cognitive interview protocol guides were used for each type of interview. The
guides, which were approved by BJS, were developed with the goal of assessing
respondents’ understanding of the LEA and SRO questions, gauging respondent
perceptions on sensitivity of any questions, willingness to respond, and overall
burden involved in answering questions. Upon completion of the questionnaires,
respondents were also debriefed to gather their perceptions on the overall
experience, their understanding of the purpose of the questions, the likelihood of
participation in the eventual SLEPS main study, and final comments. Interviewers
used scripted probes, but were given the flexibility to probe spontaneously when
needed to assess understanding and perception of the questions, as well as
anything that seemed unclear, unusual, or generally worth expanding on. The
scripted probes included comprehension and recall probes, while spontaneous
probes were used based on respondents’ answers. The cognitive interview protocol
guides can be viewed in Appendices A and B.
2.2
Interview Procedures
Sampled agencies were contacted via e-mail (usually sent to the Chielf of Police), or
telephone (if an e-mail was not available). Two days later, a reminder e-mail was
sent, followed by another e-mail a week later. Once respondents were successfully
recruited for the most convenient date and time, recruiters sent out messages to
designated interviewers. Respondents were told that the interview would take an
hour on average and be conducted over the phone. A day before the interview, the
assigned interviewer contacted the recruited respondent via e-mail to remind
him/her of the upcoming interview, confirm the telephone number, and send the
respective questionnaire and informed consent.
Once an interview was completed, a summary of the findings for each question was
entered into an Excel file for each interview type. These files did not contain any
personally identifiable information (PII).
2.3
2.3.1
Cognitive Interview Findings and Recommendations
LEA Questionnaire
The LEA questionnaire was completed by 20 respondents – 11 came from local
police departments, 8 were from Sheriff’s offices, and 1 was from a school-based
LEA. In 13 of those agencies the SRO program was established prior to 2008.
Seventeen agencies were considered to have jurisdiction in an urban area and 16
agencies employed more than 100 officers. This section outlines each question of
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the LEA questionnaire, followed by findings and recommended changes. Overall,
complex tables included in the questionnaire were not utilized as intended.
Furthermore, respondents were confused how to answer questions containing the
phrase “according to agency policies or agreements with schools” as most of the
activities of interest were not explicitly covered in policies and agreements. We also
found that question-specific instructions tended to be overlooked as they merged
with the question text, often leading to multiple responses when only one was
required.
Instructions and Burden Statement
Overall, respondents did not have any issues with the instructions and burden
statement. One respondent noted that some school districts have their worn
officers, who are not affiliated with an LEA and may be governed by the state. Such
officers would be out of scope for this study.
Law Enforcement Agency Characteristics
1. Which best describes your agency? Please mark all that apply.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify): _______________________________________________
Findings: The response categories seem mutually exclusive, with the exception of
Sheriff’s Office and Police department. All but one respondent selected only one
category. The participant who selected more than one category said they were a
Sheriff’s office contracted by a school (selected “Other” in addition to Sheriff’s
office).
Recommendations: Remove instructions. Situations as described above would fall
under “Other”.
2. As of August 31, 2016, how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers
does your agency employ? ______
Findings: More than half of the respondents noted they would need to contact
Human Resources or Headquarters to get the exact number. Most were able to
provide a ballpark figure and noted that it was a moving number. Several
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respondents commented on the term “general arrest powers”, suggesting that
“general” was not necessary.
Recommendations: Reword question to read: As of August 31, 2016, what is the
number of sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers employed by your
agency?
3. As of August 31, 2016, how many of the following fulltime and/or part-time officers are primarily assigned to
any public K-12 schools?
Number of
full-time
officers
Number of
part-time
officers
a. Sworn officers with general arrest powers ......................
_______
_______
b. Sworn officers with limited arrest powers .......................
_______
_______
c. Nonsworn officers............................................................
_______
_______
d. Total ................................................................................
_______
_______
IF 0 FULL-TIME OFFICERS—GO TO
END OF SURVEY
Findings: Similarly to the previous question, at least two respondents commented
that the phrase “limited arrest powers” was unclear. The same respondents made a
similar comment on “nonsworn officers”. None of the 20 respondents marked
anything under response options b) or c). One respondent mentioned that they had
social workers and program managers and was unclear where to place them. The
reference period was considered arbitrary by some respondents.
Recommendations: Consider replacing “nonsworn officers” with “nonsworn
personnel” to accommodate civilian personnel, such as social workers and program
managers, if the goal of the question is to get the number of agency employees.
Reword response categories to read: Number of full-time officers/personnel and
Number of part-time officers/personnel.
Remove option d) as it increases respondent burden and can be derived after data
collection.
If a paper version of the survey is considered, make the instructions what to do if
there are no full-time officers more prominent and how to return the survey.
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4. Do any of these sworn officers with general arrest
powers (number reported in item 3a) who are primarily
assigned to public K-12 schools…
Yes
No
None
employed
a. carry a firearm while working in schools? ...................
b. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
Findings: Several respondents missed “any” in the question and were unclear how
to answer, saying that some (e.g., supervisors) may carry a firearm, but other may
not.
Recommendations: Capitalize “any” to make it more prominent in the question. If
a paper version is considered, add skip instruction to administer this question only
to those who report officers with general arrest powers. If left as is, the question
assumes that there are sworn officers with general arrest powers and the response
option “None employed” is misleading - if selected, it will be unclear whether there
are no officers with general arrest powers employed, or none of them carry
firearms/wear uniforms. This option becomes unnecessary once the appropriate
skip instructions are added after question 3a.
5. Do any of these sworn officers with limited arrest
powers (number reported in item 3b) who are primarily
assigned to public K-12 schools…
Yes
No
None
employed
a. carry a firearm while working in schools? ...................
b. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
Findings: This question was irrelevant for all respondents.
Recommendations: Similarly to question 4), capitalize “any” to make it more
prominent in the question. If a paper version is considered, add skip instruction to
administer this question only to those who report officers with limited arrest
powers. If left as is, the question assumes that there are sworn officers with limited
arrest powers and the response option “None employed” is misleading - if selected,
it will be unclear whether there are no officers with limited arrest powers employed,
or none of them carry firearms/wear uniforms. This option becomes unnecessary
once the appropriate skip instructions are added after question 3a.
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6. Do any of these nonsworn officers (number reported
in item 3c) who are primarily assigned to public K-12
schools…
Yes
No
None
employed
a. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
Findings: This question was irrelevant for all respondents. One suggested adding
instructions to only consider officers under the LEA’s direct supervision (rather than
district officers).
Recommendations: Similarly to question 4), capitalize “any” to make it more
prominent in the question. If a paper version is considered, add skip instruction to
question 3a to administer this question only to those who report nonsworn officers.
If left as is, the question assumes that there are nonsworn officers and the
response option “None employed” is misleading - if selected, it will be unclear
whether there are no nonsworn officers employed, or none of them carry
firearms/wear uniforms. This option becomes unnecessary once the appropriate
skip instructions are added after question 3a. Replace “officers” with “personnel” for
consistency (if recommended change to question 3a is accepted).
7. Do any of the following officers receive specialized
School Resource Officer (SRO) training?
Yes
No
None
employed
a. Sworn officers with general arrest powers...................
b. Sworn officers with limited arrest powers ...................
c. Nonsworn officers ........................................................
Findings: None of the respondents had any problems with this question.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
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SRO Program Characteristics
8. Enter the number of SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin
and sex, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and
employment status:
Male
Female
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
_____
______
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
c. Hispanic or Latino
______
______
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
f. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic
origin
______
______
g. Two or more races
______
______
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
______
______
______
______
TOTAL SROs (SUM OF A–H)
Findings: This question was very challenging for respondents – several mentioned
that the categories do not match the type of information collected (often limited to
White vs. Non-white, or White, Black, and Other). In order to get details to match
to the response categories, some respondents noted that they would have to go
through County Records; others mentioned that it would be impossible to populate
such a table, as employees were given the option to check “prefer not to say”.
Several respondents commented on the burden related to completing this table for
a large group of SROs.
Recommendations: Consider removing this question, given the same information
is collected in the roster. Given the pushback from respondents, we expect this
question to be skipped by the majority, potentially introducing item missingness to
subsequent questions. If removing the question is not an acceptable option,
consider placing it at the very end of the survey (if respondents refuse to provide
roster information). Consider the following changes:
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
For each race/ethnicity category below, please enter the number of male and
female SROs in your agency. Please do NOT consider sworn status, arrest powers,
or employment status (full or part-time).
Cluster response options into two main categories and add subcategories for those,
who would be able to populate them:
a. White
b. Non-white
i. Black or African American
ii. American Indian or Alaska Native
iii. Asian
iv. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
c. More than one race
Ask Hispanicity in a preceding question, as recommended by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
Remove “Total SROs (Sum of A-H)” as it increases respondent burden and can be
derived post data collection.
9. In what year did your agency’s SRO program start? ______________
Findings: Most respondents did not have this information available, but knew how
to get it. Only two mentioned that it would require some research, including calling
the school district. Some respondents were unclear whether the predecessors of the
formal SRO programs should be considered when answering this question.
Recommendations: Reword question to read: In what year did your agency’s
formal SRO program start?
10. What is the funding source for your SRO program? Please mark all that apply
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
Other—please specify: _______________________________________________
Findings: Several respondents commented that it was hard to answer without a
time frame, as funding varied over time.
Recommendations: Reword question to read: What is the current funding source
for your SRO program?
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Italicize instructions to separate them from the question stem.
Change the last response option to “Other (please specify)” for consistency with
previous questions.
11. How many of the following types of schools are served by your SRO
program? If none, please enter ‘0’
Number
a. Elementary schools ........................................................................................
______
b. Middle/Junior high schools............................................................................
______
c. High schools ..................................................................................................
______
Findings: Several respondents noted that they served K-8, or K-12 schools and we
might need additional categories for such schools. Several respondents asked if this
question referred to full time officers only. When probed how confident they were in
their response, respondents from large LEAs reported they were not confident.
Recommendations: Include instructions for respondents who are in K-8, or K-12
schools to consider the highest grade their school offers when selecting a category.
Italicize all instructions.
11a. Are any of the schools served by your SRO
program…
Yes
No
Don’t know
a. Charter schools ......................................................
b. Alternative schools ................................................
Findings: There was a confusion what was meant by “alternative schools”.
Interpretations varies from school for gifted children, to schools for disruptive
students. At least two respondents did not consider charter and private schools
when responding to the previous question.
Recommendations: Restructure questions 11-12 to ask about number of private
vs. public schools that SRO program serves, followed by a division across grade
levels:
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How many of the following types of schools are served by your SRO
program (either full, or part time)? If none, please enter ‘0’. If schools do
not fall immediately into the categories below, please consider the highest
grade offered.
Number
a. Public schools ..............................................................................
Elementary schools
Middle/Junior high schools
High schools
b. Private schools .............................................................................
Elementary schools
Middle/Junior high schools
High schools
12. Does your SRO program serve private schools?
Yes
No
Findings: Respondents did not consider private schools when responding to
question 11.
Recommendations: See recommended restructuring under question 11a.
13. In general, do officers in your agency perform SRO functions as a continuous assignment
or do they rotate to other assignments at times?
Continuous
assignments GO TO QUESTION 14
Rotate to other assignments at times
Findings: Respondents were not unified in their interpretation of “continuous” and
“rotate”. Some interpreted continuous to mean “during the school year”, while
others interpreted it to mean “full-time”. Similarly, some respondents questioned
whether rotation referred to a grant cycle. Several respondents raised the issue
that they would not know how to answer this question if both rotation and
continuous assignments were practices at their agencies.
Recommendations: Reword the question to read: Overall, do majority of your
officers perform SRO functions as a permanent assignment, or do they rotate to
other assignments?
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13a. [IF QUESTION 13 RESPONSE IS ROTATE] How often do these rotations occur?
Please mark only one
Only during summer when school is not in session.
Every year
Every few years
Rotations occur on an individual basis with each SRO
Other—please specify: _______________________________________________
Findings: At least two respondents noted that they could not check only one
response option. Some respondents mentioned alternative response options such as
grant cycles, semesters, and quarters.
Recommendations: Reconsider the analytic goal of the question. Reword question
to read: What is the most common rotation cycle related to SRO assignments in
your agency?
Remove instructions in parenthesis and use arrows to visually direct respondents to
this question if a paper version of the questionnaire is considered.
SRO Policies and Responsibilities
14. What form of agreement is in place between your agency’s SRO program and the
school(s)/school districts? Please mark all that apply.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other—please specify: ___________________________
There is no formal agreement
Findings: There were no problems with this question. One respondent suggested
adding “School board policy rules and procedures” to the response options.
Recommendations: Move the last response option (There is no formal agreement)
to the top of the list (as the question assumes there are agreements in place and
respondents need to be given the option to easily opt out).
Italicize instructions.
Reformat “Other- please specify)” to match previous questions.
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15. Please consider the policies guiding your SRO program when completing the following
questions. Select the most appropriate category below, when answering questions about
your program’s characteristics.
Please mark only one for each row. If there is an MOU in place between your agency and
the school district, please provide a copy.
SRO program characteristic
Addressed
within a formal
contract or
No formal
MOU between contract but
your agency
decided with
and the school input from the
district
school district
Addressed solely
through internal
law enforcement
agency policy
with no input
from the school
district
a. The number of officers in your SRO
program
b. The schedule (e.g., before the school
day begins, the full school day, etc.)
that officers in your SRO program
will spend at school
c. The role of officers in your SRO
program
d. The expectations regarding citations
and referrals by officers in your SRO
program
e. The primary areas of focus (e.g.,
education, mentoring, gangs, drugs,
etc.) by officers in your SRO program
f.
Expectations regarding collaboration
with school administration and
teachers by officers in your SRO
program
g. Expectations for working with
students and parents by officers in
your SRO program
h. Procedures for resolving
disagreements between school
administrators and officers in your
SRO program
Findings: This question was particularly burdensome in terms of recall. Most
respondents were able to provide responses, but noted they were estimating and
would need to read over the specific MOUs to make sure they answered correctly.
The request to provide copies of the MOUs met mixed reactions – for states where
MOUs were public record, such a request would not present a problem; however,
respondents from states where MOUs were not public records noted that they would
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need to contact city attorneys, or their legal departments, and this effort would be
extremely burdensome when different MOUs were signed with different
schools/school districts. Several respondent noted that 15g was asking two
questions in one – expectations for working with students might be covered by an
MOU, but not for working with parents. When probed whether there were missing
categories, respondents noted that “federal grant” was a missing response option.
Recommendations: The question is missing an actual question. Consider
rewording:
For each of the following SRO program characteristics, please select whether it is
guided through a formal contract or MOU with the school district, input from the
school district without a formal contract, internal policy, or mandated by a
government agency. Please select only one response for each SRO program
characteristic.
SRO program characteristic
Formal
contract or
MOU with
the school
district
Input from
the school
district
without
formal
contract
LEA’s internal
policy without Government
input from the
agency
school district
mandate
a. ……
Remove request to provide MOUs copies from the instructions – this can be
extremely burdensome when the agency serves more than one school districts.
Remove “parents” from 15g (and add as a separate option if of analytic interest).
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16. Indicate whether each law enforcement activity is performed by any of your agency’s
SROs, as defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school
districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Law enforcement activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Patrolling school facilities
b. Issuing citations
c. Responding to calls for service on the
school campus
d. Emergency management/crisis
preparedness planning
e. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
f. Making arrests
g. Responding to incidents in the classroom
Findings: All respondents used only the first response option (sworn officers with
general arrest powers) when responding to this question. Several noted that 16g
was vague and needed to be clarified whether it referred to a disciplinary or law
enforcement action. Several respondents commented that they needed a “not
applicable” option, suggesting that it was not evident how to fill out the table.
Recommendations: Consider simplifying the question to ask about types of
activities performed by SROs, regardless of sworn status. Consider combining
questions 16, 17 and 18 into a large table with three main headings (law
enforcement activities, mentoring activities, and teaching activities). Depending on
the analytic goal of the question, consider removing “as defined by agency policies
or agreements” as this expression was confusing for respondents across the three
questions (16-18) and majority stated that their SROs performed most of the listed
activities, but they were not necessarily defined by policies or agreements. Consider
the following restructure:
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Which of the following activities are performed by any of your agency’s SROs while on duty?
Law enforcement activities
a. Patrolling school facilities
b. ……….
Mentoring activities
h. Truancy intervention
i. ………….
Teaching activities
m. Teaching students about drugs, legal issues…
n. ………….
17. Indicate whether each mentoring activity is performed by any of your agency’s SROs, as
defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Mentoring activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Truancy intervention
b. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Coaching athletic programs
e. Advising school staff, students, or families
(one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
Findings: Similarly to question 16, all respondents used only the first response
option (sworn officers with general arrest powers) when responding to this
question. Several commented that they needed a “not applicable” option,
suggesting that it was not evident how to fill out the table. Many respondents
repeated “as defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools”
and wondered how to respond if the activities were preformed, but not addressed in
a policy. Several respondents noted that 17a was handled by the school districts
and occasionally SROs might accompany truancy officers. Respondents felt that 17b
was unclear and suggested including examples. At least three respondents
commented that 17d may happen in SRO’s free time, pointing out the need to
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
specify whether we were interested in “on duty” activities only. Several respondents
noted that 17e was handled by the school district PD and felt that most of the
activities listed in this question did not pertain to SROs.
Recommendations: Consider simplifying the question combining questions 16, 17
and 18 (see suggested wording under the recommendations for question 16).
Consider removing 17a, c, and e as they were identified as activities not performed
by SROs.
18. Indicate whether each teaching activity is performed by any of your agency’s SROs, as
defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Teaching activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Teaching students about drugs, legal
issues, safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution
b. Special safety programs / presentations
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
Findings: Similarly to previous questions, all respondents utilized only the first
column of the table (sworn officers with general arrest powers). Many respondents
commented again on “as defined by agency policies or agreements with their
assigned schools” and one said that this “may scare people away”. Several
respondents noted that 18d did not apply to SROs as this activity had been taken
over by the school district PD, and at least one respondent pointed that 17b was
asking two questions in one.
Recommendations: Consider simplifying the question combining questions 16, 17
and 18, and removing 17d. Separate “special safety programs” and “presentations”
from 18b. See suggested wording under recommendations for question 16.
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19. Please indicate whether the following items are worn or carried by any of your agency’s
SROs while on the school campus.
Please mark all that apply.
Item
Type of SRO Wearing or Carrying the Item
Sworn
Sworn
N/A; Officers
officers with officers with
do not wear
general arrest limited arrest Nonsworn or carry this
powers
powers
officers
item
a. A regulation uniform identical or
highly consistent with your
agency’s standard uniform
b. Baton/nightstick
c. OC Spray/foam
d. Conducted energy device (e.g.
Taser)
e. Body-worn camera
f. Firearm
g. Other—please specify:
____________________________
Findings: Several respondents commented on the fact that there was a difference
between “issues/equipped with” and “carry or wear”. They elaborated that officers
were issued the equipment, but for items that were not required (e.g., 19b and
19c), it was their personal decision whether to carry or not. As with the previous
questions, only the first column of the table was used, but some respondents
commented that the N/A option was not visible because of the additional text
associated with it. One respondent recommended adding Asp to 19b, while another
noted that certain states did not allow body-worn cameras (19e). Flashlights, radio,
cell phone, handcuffs/hobble restrains, tourniquets and metal detectors were
among the items respondents felt were missing from the list.
Recommendations: Consider simplifying the question similarly to question 16 –
remove the columns distinguishing between arrest powers and sworn status. If the
goal of the question is to list every possible piece of equipment SROs have,
consider adding the suggested items. Reword the question to read:
Which of the following items are issued to your agency’s SROs to wear while on the
school campus? Please mark all that apply.
Change 19b to read: Asp/baton
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20. Do agency policies or agreements with schools require SROs to have regular meetings
with school executive staff, such as the principal, while on assignment?
Yes
No
Findings: Almost all respondents commented that such meetings were not per
policies or agreements.
Recommendations: If the goal of the question is to assess whether SROs have
regular meetings with school staff, consider removing “agency policies or
agreements with school require” from the question stem. However, if the goal of
the question is to capture if such meetings are mandated by agency policies or
agreements with schools, leave question as is.
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21. According to agency policies or agreements with schools, when must an SRO inform
school executive staff of the following? Please mark all that apply
Action
Not
Following required to No policy
Immediatel
Action
inform
regarding
Prior to y following whenever executive communicati
action
action
practical
staff
on of action
a. Stop, question, and
interview of
student/staff
b. Conduct investigation
c. Question students
during school hours
d. Question school
employees during
school hours
e. Arrest of student
during school hours
f. Arrest of school
employee during
school hours
g. Search premises
h. Search student
i. Use of force on student
that does not result in
arrest
Findings: Almost all respondents commented that there were no formal policies or
agreements for most of the listed actions. One respondent noted that the response
category “prior to action” may be interpreted as asking for permission. The
distinction between “immediately following action” and “following action whenever
practical” was not clear to respondents. The instructions to mark all that apply were
overlooked. Several edits were suggested – adding “in official capacity as law
enforcement” to 21a; adding “criminal” to 21b, and replacing “force” with “restrain”
in 21i. Respondents felt that options 21g and 21h would apply only if there was a
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
criminal act in progress; otherwise searches were conducted by school
administrators.
Recommendations: Simplify the question to include four response options: prior
to action, during, following action, and not required. If the goal of the question is to
assess whether such actions are governed by agency policies or agreements with
schools, leave question stem as is. However, if the goal of the question is to
capture when SROs inform school staff regardless of policies and procedures,
remove “according to agency policies or agreements with schools”. Reword the
question to read:
For each of the following actions, please indicate when SROs must inform school
executive staff. Please mark all that apply.
Action
Prior to
action
During
action
Following
Action
Not required
to inform
executive
staff
a. Stop, question, and
interview …..
Reword option 21a to read: Stop, question, and interview of student/staff in an
official law enforcement capacity.
Reword option 21b to read: Conduct criminal investigation.
Reword option 21i to read: Use of restrain on student that does not result in arrest.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
SRO Recruitment, Training, and Supervision
22. Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires
SROs?
Yes
No GO TO QUESTION 23
Findings: No issues. Only one respondent commented that he could answer for
specific schools, but not sure if one response could apply agency-wide.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
22a. [IF QUESTION 22 RESPONSE IS YES] How does the school participate? Please
mark all that apply.
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a “good fit”
Other—please specify: _______________________________________________
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave question stem as is. For paper versions of the
questionnaire, remove parenthesized instructions and use arrows to help
respondents navigate to the correct question.
Italicize “Please mark all that apply.”
Change the last response option to read “Other (please specify)” for consistency
with previous questions.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
23. How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Please mark all that apply.
Through an application process from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired
specifically to be SROs)
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
Other—please specify: _______________________________________________
Findings: There were no comprehension issues with this question; however, some
respondents commented that this question should be asked of the school districts.
A suggested addition to the response options was “recruit SROs from other
agencies.”
Recommendations: Leave question stem as is. Italicize “Please mark all that
apply.”
Change the last response option to read “Other (please specify)” for consistency
with previous questions.
24. Which entities provide training to officers in your LEA’s SRO program? Please mark all
that apply.
Our agency itself
NASRO and/or other national officer organizations’
An office or department within our state
Other—please specify: _______________________________________________
Findings: Some respondents were unclear whether this question referred to SROspecific training. Several recommended spelling out LEA, as “LEA’s SRO” looked
strange in the question stem. When probed what was missing from the response
options, cognitive interview participants mentioned state SRO organizations,
community college courses, school districts, and through criminal justice statutes.
Recommendations: Reword question to read: Which entities provide SRO-specific
training to officers in your agency?
Italicize “Please mark all that apply.”
Change the second response option to read: NASRO and/or other national or state
organizations.
Add “School Districts” as a response option.
Change the last response option to read “Other (please specify)” for consistency
with previous questions.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
25. Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following law enforcement
activities/topics?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including
initial training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training
refers to training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of
other assignments.
Law enforcement
activity/topic
Sworn Officers with
General Arrest
Powers
Sworn Officers with
Limited Arrest
Powers
Nonsworn Officers
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
a. Conducting law
enforcement
activities in
schools
b. Responding to
calls for service
on the school
campus
c. Responding to
incidents in the
classroom
d. Juvenile gangs
e. Social media
monitoring/techno
logy-related
investigations
f.
Use of deadly
force
g. Use of less
lethal force
h. De-escalation
strategies and
techniques
Findings: Overall, respondents found the structure of the table very confusing and
the separation among categories by sworn status and arrest powers was not
obvious. Most respondents were unclear whether they could select more than one
category for each activity/topic. Majority of respondents chose “any”, utilizing only
24
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
the first column of the table (Sworn Officers with General Arrest Powers). Some
commented that 25a and 25b overlap. One respondent suggested adding “student
behavioral problems” as a sub-category, or at least provide as an example under
25h.
Recommendations: Provide a brief introduction before questions 25-27, so they
do not seem repetitive to respondents. As recommended for previous questions,
simplify the table to be a checklist of activities regardless of arrest powers or sworn
status. Reword the question to read:
The next set of questions is about training on law enforcement, prevention and
planning, and social and behavioral topics offered to SROs by your agency.
Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered to SROs by
your agency? Please indicate whether the topic is part of SRO-specific training,
general training, or both.
Law Enforcement Topic
SRO-specific
Training
General
Training
a. Conducting law enforcement activities…..
Remove 25b due to overlap with 25a.
25
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
26. Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following prevention and
planning activities?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including
initial training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training
refers to training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of
other assignments.
Prevention and
planning activity
Sworn Officers with
General Arrest
Powers
Sworn Officers with
Limited Arrest
Powers
Nonsworn Officers
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
a. Crisis
preparedness
planning
b. Security audits/
assessments of
school campuses
c. Truancy intervention and
dropout
prevention
d. Bullying
deterrence
e. Substance abuse
recognition
f.
Teaching students
about drugs, legal
issues, safety,
crime awareness,
or conflict
resolution
g. Special safety
programs/
presentations
Findings: This question had similar problems to the ones discussed for question
26. As noted before, “truancy intervention” was considered strictly a school district
activity. One respondent felt that 26f should be split into subcategories.
26
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Recommendations: As recommended for question 26, simplify the table to be a
checklist of activities regardless of arrest powers or sworn status. Reword the
question to read:
Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered to
SROs by your agency? Please indicate whether the topic is part of SRO-specific
training, general training, or both.
Prevention and Planning Topic
SRO-specific
Training
General
Training
a. Crisis preparedness…..
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
27. Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following social and behavioral
topics?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including
initial training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training
refers to training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of
other assignments.
Social and
behavioral topic
Sworn Officers with
General Arrest
Powers
Sworn Officers with
Limited Arrest
Powers
Nonsworn Officers
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
SRONot
specifi provide
c
d
Any
a. Conducting
mentoring
activities,
including advising
staff, students,
and/or families
b. Positive school
discipline
c. Student mental
health
d. Cultural
sensitivity and/or
cultural
competency
e. Child/adolescent
psychology/devel
opment
f.
Students with
disabilities
g. Restorative justice
(emphasis on
school
community,
conflict resolution
by repairing harm)
Findings: This question had similar problems to the ones discussed for questions
25 and 26. Several respondents noted that school districts would handle most of
the school and student-specific topics on the list, particularly 27b (at least five
28
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
respondents commented that it was unclear to them what it meant); several
respondents mentioned that for 27e and 27f specially trained deputies would be
called in when needed. At least two respondents were not familiar with the term
“restorative justice” and suggested using “conflict resolution” if that was what it
meant.
Recommendations: As recommended for questions 25 and 26, simplify the table
to be a checklist of activities regardless of arrest powers or sworn status. Reword
the question to read:
Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered to SROs
by your agency? Please indicate whether the topic is part of SRO-specific training,
general training, or both.
Social and Behavioral Topic
SRO-specific
Training
General
Training
a. Conducting mentoring activities…..
Remove 27b.
Reword 27c to read: Mental health.
Consider removing 27e and 27f, given respondents’ comments.
28. Do agency policies require supervisors to visit schools for the purpose of observing SROs
on a periodic basis?
Yes
No
GO TO QUESTION 29
Findings: Most respondents noted that they did not have a formal policy and
checked “No”, despite the fact that they engaged in the behavior of interest.
Recommendations: Reconsider the goal of the question and if appropriate,
remove “policies” from the question. Consider: Does your agency require
supervisors to visit schools periodically in order to observe SROs?
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
28a. [IF QUESTION 28 RESPONSE IS YES] How often? Please mark only one
Once a month
At least twice a year
Once a year
Other—please specify: ____________________________________________________
Findings: Most respondents skipped this question, but commented that the
frequency scale was on the high end and needed to be adjusted to weekly, or twice
a month.
Recommendations: Revise response scale to read:
At least once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
Other (please specify)_______________
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
29. Does your agency collect data on any of the following measures related to
the activities of SROs and the schools they serve?
Yes
No
a. Number and/or type of suspensions recorded at school .............................
b. Number and/or type of property crimes reported at school ........................
c. Number and/or type of substance violations recorded at school (e.g.
possession, use, buying/selling) ..................................................................
d. Number and/or type of reports of violence at school..................................
e. Number and/or type of arrests made by SRO .............................................
f. Number and/or type of citations issued by SRO.........................................
g. Number and/or type of classes/programs taught by SRO ...........................
h. Number and/or type of mentoring activities performed by SRO................
i. Outreach to faculty/staff performed by SRO ..............................................
j. Outreach to parents/community performed by SRO ..................................
k. Number and/or type of use of force incidents.............................................
Findings: Several respondents commented that most of the listed items were not
collected by their agencies, but the agencies had access to them. Some mentioned
that such data were provided in reports and it would be extremely burdensome to
quantify the information from these reports if they were asked to do so. Some
respondents commented that 29a and 29d were not tracked, unless there was a
criminal issue. One respondent mentioned that “outreach” in 29g and 29h implied
that SROs were helping, rather than teaching. Another respondent noted that SROs
kept records of arrests, but not on the specific use of force (29k). When probed
what was missing from the list, respondents mentioned diversion programs and
restorative justice.
Recommendations: Reword question to read: Does you agency have access to
data on any of the following measures related to SRO activities in the schools they
serve?
Replace “outreach” in 29i and 29j with “mentoring”.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
30. In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers
with general arrest powers from your jurisdiction who are primarily assigned to work in
K-12 public schools. We will use this list to randomly select some of these individual
officers to receive a survey about activities they perform. Included on the form is
guidance for anonymizing the list of officers should you prefer not to provide direct
identification of the officers.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes—please complete the Officer Roster Form
No—please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information:
_____________________________________________________________________
Findings: Majority of respondents were willing to provide this information, but said
they would need to first look at the survey. It was clear that most did not
understand the purpose of the roster, as they suggested they would send out the
survey to SROs. Several respondents noted that they would need to get approvals
from their Chief or the agency legal department. Some mentioned that they would
rather provide names than badge numbers; other mentioned that they no longer
had badge numbers, but employee IDs and radio IDs. As in question 8, many
respondents mentioned that they do would not have the race/ethnicity details
outlined in the roster. For respondents with more than 5 SROs, it was unclear what
to do when they ran out of space.
Recommendations: Streamline roster instructions to read:
Please use the table below to list all of the sworn officers from your jurisdiction who
are primarily assigned to work in K-12 public schools. We will use this list to
randomly select SROs to participate in a survey about activities performed by sworn
law enforcement officers assigned to schools. We will provide you with survey
packets to distribute to the randomly selected officers approximately 3 weeks after
you return this form.
Please provide any type of identifying information that will help YOU identify the
officers once they have been randomly selected.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Officers Initials OR other
identifying information that
you can link directly to each
SRO
1.
SRO Roster
Record the race/Hispanic origin of
each SRO using the letter
corresponding to the correct
category below:
A. White, non-Hispanic
B. Black or African American,
non-Hispanic
C. Hispanic or Latino
D. American Indian or Alaska
Native,
non-Hispanic
E. Asian, non-Hispanic
F. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander, non-Hispanic
G. Two or more races
H. Unknown
SRO’s Gender
Male
Female
2.
Male
Female
3.
Male
Female
4.
Male
Female
5.
Male
Female
Overall, respondents had no concerns related to the questionnaire content. Some
reiterated, that they would want to see the SRO questionnaire before asking
employees to complete it. Respondents felt the effort required to complete the
survey was minimal and most estimated that it would take around 30 min to
complete. When asked specifically whether gathering information from different
sources would be challenging, most respondents felt that they already had all the
information needed to complete the survey, but several mentioned that they would
need to contact other sources to complete the roster (especially the race/ethnicity
section). When probed whether they would be willing to participate in the eventual
SLEPS main study, all respondents said they would, stressing the importance of
collecting such data, being proud of their SRO program, and being interested in the
results.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
2.3.2
SRO Questionnaire
The SRO questionnaire was completed by 18 respondents – 13 were from local
police departments, 3 were from Sheriff’s offices, and 2 came from a school-based
LEAs. In 13 of those agencies the SRO program was established prior to 2008. We
interviewed 3 female and 15 male respondents. Overall, the questionnaire did not
have many problems. Respondents were confused how to answer the series of
questions on annual training and found the question about time distribution
challenging. This section outlines each question, followed by findings and
recommended changes.
SRO Characteristics
1. Approximately how many years have you served as a sworn law enforcement officer?
Please mark only one
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
2. Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO in your career? Please
count the total number of years you’ve worked as an SRO even if you held other
positions at times. Please mark only one
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
3. Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO at your current
assignment? Please mark only one
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
4. Do you currently hold a National SRO Practitioner Certificate from the National
Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)?
Yes
No
Findings: Not all respondents were familiar with NASRO and respondents who had
gone through SRO training were not sure whether their certificate was NASRO or
not. Most respondents mentioned their state associations and certifications; some
noted that there was no need for a NASRO certificate once you had a state
certificate. One respondent commented that “practitioner” implied that he would be
a NASRO instructor, but no one else misinterpreted this question.
Recommendations: Leave as is. Depending on the analytic goal of the question,
consider adding “or your state association.”
5. Are you currently assigned as an SRO? Please mark only one
During part of the school year
During the full traditional school year
Year-round
Findings: One respondent answered the question without considering the response
options, pointing to a mismatch between the question stem (requiring a Yes/No
response format) and the response categories.
Recommendations: Revise the question to read: For what part of the year are
you currently assigned as an SRO?
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
6. How many schools are you currently assigned to as an SRO? Please mark only one
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more
Findings: At least three respondents noted that SROs who help out at schools
other than their assigned ones, or are “rovers” (going where needed) would have
difficulty answering this question.
Recommendations: Revise the question and instructions to read: To how many
schools are you currently assigned as an SRO? Please do not include schools where
you might be called in to help, but are not part of your official assignment.
7. What type of school are you currently assigned to?
If you are assigned to more than one school, please answer based on the school you work
in most of the time. If your time is split evenly between 2 or more schools, please answer
based on the school you worked in most recently.
Elementary school
Middle/junior high school
High school
Other. Please specify: ________________________________________________
Don’t know
Findings: Several respondents did not read the instructions and selected more
than one response option. Some respondents mentioned that in rural areas
elementary through high school would be in the same building.
Recommendations: Revise the question to reflect proper grammatical structure;
revise and italicize instructions:
To what type of school are you currently assigned as an SRO? If your assigned
school does not fall immediately into one of the categories below, please consider
the highest grade offered. If you are assigned to more than one school, please
answer for the school where you spend most of your time or where you worked
most recently.
Revise “other” to read: Other (please specify)__________
Remove “Don’t” know from the response options.
36
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
7a.
Is this school a…
Yes
No
Don’t know
a. Charter schools ......................................................
b. Alternative schools ................................................
Findings: The definition of “alternative school” varied across respondents – several
thought alternative schools were schools for children with special needs where they
could get a job training; others considered it to be a secondary school for students
with learning disabilities, that follows a different education program; yet others
thought it was a school for students with behavioral problems who might be
expelled from other schools.
Recommendations: Provide a definition of “alternative school” consistent with the
analytic goal of the question.
Consider removing “Don’t” know from the response options as it provides an easy
way out for respondents.
7b.
On average, how many hours per week do you work at this school? _______
Findings: Some respondents provided ranges. Several respondents commented
that depending on the time of the year (when SROs might have many extracurricular activities), this question might be hard to answer.
Recommendations: Leave as is as the question is asking about an average
estimate.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
SRO Training
8. Please indicate if you have received any training on the following law enforcement
activities/topics, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Law Enforcement Activity
Have you received
any training on
this topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in
schools ................................................................
b. Responding to calls for service on the school
campus ................................................................
c. Responding to incidents in the classroom ..........
d. Juvenile gangs ....................................................
e. Social media/technology-related investigations .
f. Use of deadly force .............................................
g. Use of less lethal force .......................................
h. De-escalation strategies and techniques .............
Findings: Most respondents had a hard time with “training on an annual basis”.
They noted that they have annual department mandated courses and some topics
were discussed, but there were no specific trainings on them per se. Some
respondents considered 8a too broad, while 8c was found to be too specific
(especially in the context of training). Some suggested changing 8g to “gang
training”, as “juvenile gang training” was too specific. At least one respondent
noted that 8f and 8g were covered in the same training. When probed if something
was missing from the list, respondents mentioned: Crisis Intervention Training
(including mental health issues), drug recognition signs, ALICE (Alert, Lockdown,
Inform, Counter, and Evacuate), bullying intervention, relationship building,
multicultural training, restorative judgement, interviewing and interrogating
(including interviewing of victims of a physical or sexual assault).
Recommendations: Include a lead-in to questions 8-10, so they do not seem
repetitive to respondents. Revise question to ask about most recent and general
training. (If the goal of the question is to distinguish between SRO-specific and
general training, indicate “SRO-specific training” in the question stem.) Revise to
read:
The next set of questions is about your recent and general training on law
enforcement, prevention and planning, and social and behavioral topics.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
8a.
Please indicate whether each of the following law enforcement topics were covered in
your most recent training, your general training, or both:
Law Enforcement Topic
Recent Training
General Training
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in
schools ................................................................
Reword 8d to read: Gangs
Depending on the analytic goals, consider merging 8f and 8g into one category
“Use of force.”
Add “Crisis Intervention.”
Consider adding an “Other (please specify)” response category.
9. Please indicate if you have received any training on the following prevention and
planning activities, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Topic
Have you received
any training on
this topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
a. Crisis preparedness planning ..............................
b. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses.............................................................
c. Truancy intervention and dropout prevention ....
d. Bullying deterrence ............................................
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Teaching students about drugs, legal issues,
safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution ............................................................
g. Special safety programs/ presentations ..............
Findings: Similarly to question 8, respondents had a hard time with “training on an
annual basis”. One respondent commented that 9a was ambiguous and suggested
“critical incidents” instead. Several respondents mentioned that SROs performed
safety checks rather than audits (8b). Similarly to the LEA interviews, respondents
commented that truancy intervention was something conducted by the schools.
One respondent felt that 9f would be a better fit for question 8 and could be broken
into its subparts. Some respondents found 9g ambiguous and questioned whether
crisis preparedness and ALICE would fall under that topic. “Suicide prevention” was
one of the suggested topics to be added to the list.
39
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Recommendations: Revise question to ask about most recent and general training
(see recommendation for question 8). (If the goal of the question is to distinguish
between SRO-specific and general training, indicate “SRO-specific training” in the
question stem.) Revise to read:
Please indicate whether each of the following prevention and planning topics
were covered in your most recent training, your general training, or both:
Prevention and Planning Topic
Recent Training
General Training
a. Crisis Preparedness Planning .............................
Revise 9b to read: Security checks/assessment of school campuses
Consider removing 9c.
Consider rewording 9g to include “for students and teachers”.
Consider adding “Suicide prevention”
Consider adding an “Other (please specify)” response category.
40
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
10. Please indicate if you have received any training on the following social and behavioral
topics, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Topic
a. Conducting mentoring activities, including
advising staff, students, and/or families .............
Have you received
any training on
this topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
b. Positive school discipline ...................................
c. Student mental health .........................................
d. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural
competency .........................................................
e. Child/adolescent psychology/development ........
f. Students with disabilities ....................................
g. Restorative justice (emphasis on school
community, conflict resolution by repairing
harm)...................................................................
Findings: Similarly to questions 8 and 9, respondents had a hard time with
“training on an annual basis”. Several respondents commented that 10b was
something schools rather than SROs dealt with and at least four respondents
questioned the term “restorative justice”. When probed what was missing from the
list, some suggested LGBT issues and race issues.
Recommendations: Revise question to ask about most recent and general training
(see recommendation for questions 8 and 9):
Please indicate whether each of the following social and behavioral topics were
covered in your most recent training, your general training, or both:
Social and Behavioral Topic
Recent Training
General Training
a. Conducting mentoring activities.........................
Consider removing 10b.
41
Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
SRO Activities
11. Which of the following law enforcement activities did you perform on or around school
grounds in the past month? Please mark all that apply
Patrolled school facilities
Issued citations
Responded to calls for service at the school
Responded to incidents in the classroom
Emergency management/Crisis preparedness planning
Security audits/ assessments of school campuses
Confiscated weapons
Confiscated drugs
Conducted searches
Made arrests
None
Findings: The reference period for this question (past month) was largely ignored
and most responses were for the past year, likely influenced by the preceding
questions. Some respondents found citations to be ambiguous and questioned
whether we were interested in criminal, or traffic citations. Most respondents noted
that SROs did not conduct searches, but could be present when searches were
performed. One respondent commented that security audits/assessment of school
campuses had to be separate categories. When probed what was missing from the
response options, participants mentioned drug paraphernalia, K-9, traffic control
and direction, welfare checks, review of court paperwork, review of restraining
orders, counseling kids (central intake), and restorative practice.
Recommendations: Introduce the reference period in the beginning of this
section, along with the three topic areas that will be discussed: The next set of
questions is about activities you performed in the past month. We are interested in
law enforcement, mentoring, and teaching activities.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Add “crime” to “issued citations.”
Consider removing “conducted searches”
Replace the last category (“None”) with “Other (please specify)”.
12. Which of the following mentoring activities did you perform on or around school
grounds in the past month?
Please mark all that apply
Truancy intervention
Supervised/ coordinated non-athletic extracurricular activities
Field trip chaperone
Coached athletic programs
Advised school staff, students, or families (one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
None
Findings: The reference period for this question was considered too short by some
– respondents recommended using the past 3 months, or the school year. Several
respondents considered supervising a game to fall under “coached athletic
programs.” A suggested category to be added was “Reserve Officer Training Corps.”
Recommendations: Depending on the analytic goal of the question, keep the
reference period consistent with other questions.
Add a category for “Supervised/coordinated athletic activities.”
Replace “None” with “Other (please specify)”.
13. Which of the following teaching activities did you perform on or around school grounds
in the past month?
Please mark all that apply
Taught students about drugs, legal issues, safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution in a classroom setting
Special school-wide safety programs/presentations
Faculty/staff in-service presentations
Parent organization presentations
None
Findings: The time reference period for this question was considered too short.
One respondent suggested removing “classroom setting” from the first response
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
option, as he did teach students, but not strictly in a classroom setting. Another
respondent commented that “faculty/staff in-service presentations” was unclear.
Recommendations: Depending on the analytic goal of the question, keep the
reference period consistent with other questions.
Replace “None” with “Other (please specify)”.
14. Approximately what percentage of your duty time was spent on the following in-school
activities over the past month?
If you do not perform an activity, enter “0”. The total of all activities should be 100%.
Activity
Percentage
(out of 100)
a. Conducting law enforcement activities
_______
b. Conducting mentoring activities with students/staff/families
_______
c. Conducting teaching activities
_______
d. Administrative functions/paperwork related to the above activities
_______
e. Other. Please specify:______________________________________
_______
Total
100%
Findings: This was not an easy task for respondents, but in general, they were
encouraged by “approximately what”, suggesting that an estimate rather than
exact number was needed. Some respondents were unclear how to count
downtime, as their mere presence in the building could be counted as “law
enforcement.” One respondent was not sure where to count “developing
relationships with the kids” (e.g., playing football during recess) and considered it
under 14b. Those who used the “Other- please specify” category included
“supervision” and “security (conducting reviews and advising schools).”
Recommendations: Leave question stem and categories as is. Italicize
instructions.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
15. Please check the appropriate boxes to indicate whether you have arrested any student(s)
for the following offenses in the last 12 months.
Performed an arrest
in the last 12
months?
Offense
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
Yes
No
Drug possession .........................................................................
Drug distribution ........................................................................
Weapon possession ....................................................................
Weapon use ................................................................................
Theft ...........................................................................................
Threats against students .............................................................
Threats against faculty ...............................................................
Threats against school facility ...................................................
Fighting with students................................................................
Assault on school staff/faculty/security/SROs ..........................
Disorderly conduct.....................................................................
Failure to obey a police officer ..................................................
Other. Please specify:_______________________________
Findings: One respondent noted that the question should be asking about an
arrest or citation; another suggested to replace “arrest” with “diversion.” Some
respondents mentioned that 15k may not apply everywhere due to state laws (e.g.,
CA and TX). One participant suggested removing “with students” from 15i. When
probed what was missing from the list, respondents added arrest for pulling fire
arms, cyber/social media crimes, Internet solicitation/sexting/child pornography,
and trespassing.
Recommendations: An actual question is missing – revise to read: During the
past 12 months, have you arrested any student(s) for the following offences:
Yes
No
a. Drug possession .........................................................................
Change 15i to read “Fighting.”
Change 15m to read “Other (please specify)_______” for consistency with other
questions.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
16. In situations where you arrest a student, what role does the school administration play in
your arrest decisions? Please mark only one
No impact, as arrest determination made solely by myself or other sworn
personnel
Memorandum of understanding or other agreement specifies situations where the
school can have influence over my arrest decisions
School administration reviews all arrest-eligible incidents and can provide input
regarding my arrest decision
SROs do not have arrest powers in my assigned school
Other. Please specify: ________________________________________________
Findings: At least two respondents noted clear boundaries between school and
police issues and found this question irrelevant.
Recommendations: Depending on the analytic goal of this question, leave as is.
17. Do you speak another language, aside from English?
Yes—Please specify: ________________________________________________
No
17a. [IF QUESTION 17 = YES] Is this other language useful when interacting with
students in the school you are assigned?
Yes
No
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave question 17 as is. Remove parenthesized instructions
from 17a and use arrows to navigate respondents to the next question if a paper
version is offered.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
Primarily Assigned School Characteristics
If you are an SRO assigned to more than one school, please answer the following questions
based on the school where you spend the majority of your time during your typical shift.
If your time is split evenly between 2 or more schools, please answer based on the school you
worked in most recently.
Findings: Many respondents did not read the instructions and those who did and
were assigned to one school were not clear where to go next and incorrectly
skipped question 18.
Recommendations: Streamline instructions and add after question 18, so they are
not overlooked.
18. A gang is an ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether
formal or informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members
engage, either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.
Are there known gangs at your primarily assigned school?
Yes
No
Don’t know
Findings: Majority of respondents found the definition of a gang unnecessary,
noting that all officers would know what was a gang. Even though respondents
shared the same definition, some commented that it should be looser for schools
and “illegal or violent behaviors” should be removed. One respondent (who was
confused by the introductory instructions and incorrectly skipped the question)
suggested that the question should ask about the school district, rather than a
particular school.
Recommendations: Consider removing the definition of a gang and moving a
streamlined version of the introductory instructions after the question:
Are there known gangs in your primarily assigned school? If you are assigned to
more than one school, please answer for the school where you spend most of your
time or where you worked most recently.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
19. Excluding yourself, how many SROs share your shift at your primarily assigned school?
__________
Findings: Several respondents misread “excluding” as “including” and reported
inaccurately. One respondent was unclear whether to count “police in schools”
officers (non-certified school officers). “Share your shift” was interpreted as “are
assigned” to the same school, rather than during the same shift.
Recommendations: Reword the question to read: Not counting yourself, how
many SROs share your shift at your primarily assigned school?
If how many SROs share a shift is not of analytical importance, but rather how
many SROs are assigned to a school, reword the question to read: Not counting
yourself, how many SROs are assigned to your primary school?
20. Other than SROs, what security measures are in place at your primarily assigned school?
Please mark all that apply
Student dress code/uniform
Closed campus (students not allowed leave during school hours without
permission)
Controlled access to school grounds (e.g. locked or monitored gates)
Controlled access to school buildings during school hours (e.g. locked or
monitored doors)
Random sweeps for contraband (e.g. drugs, weapons), including dog sniffs
School-issued student IDs
Metal detectors
Security camera(s) to monitor school buildings and/or grounds
Structured anonymous threat reporting system (e.g. online submission, text
messaging, telephone hotline)
School security guards, nonsworn
Other means of restricting access—Please specify: _________________________
Other measures not listed—Please specify: _______________________________
Findings: There were no issues with this question. One respondent was concerned
about revealing too much information about security measures and said he would
provide responses only if the request was coming from BJS. Respondents who
utilized the “Other (please specify)” category mentioned visitor passes and paper
incident forms (in addition to online submissions already listed in the response
options).
Recommendations: Leave as is.
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
21. Restorative practices build a sense of school community and resolve conflict by repairing
harm and restoring positive relationships. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
(PBIS) is a school-wide intervention that teaches school staff to recognize, monitor, and
reward appropriate student behaviors and to provide consistent sanctions for rule
violations.
Are you involved in the process of engaging students in restorative practices and/or PBIS
at your primarily assigned school?
Yes
No
Don’t know/not familiar with these practices
Findings: Not everyone was familiar with PBIS. One respondent was unclear how
to answer if this was done to a degree – he suggested including a “somewhat”
option.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
22. We would like to obtain information about the school you primarily work in by linking to
data that has been collected about that school in other surveys. In order to access
information about the school we will need to know the name of the school. We will only
use the name of the school to access information collected from other surveys about the
characteristics of that particular school (i.e. the size and composition of the student
population) and will not release your data to any agency or individual who is not directly
involved with our research. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will use this
information for research purposes only.
School Name ___________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State________________
Findings: Overall, respondents did not have concerns providing the school name,
but at least two participants said that they would need to get the school’s approval,
while others mentioned permission from supervisor.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
Overall, respondents had no concerns related to the questionnaire content.
Respondents felt the effort required to complete the survey was minimal and
several estimated that it would take no more than 30 min to complete. When asked
specifically whether gathering information from different sources would be
challenging, most respondents felt that they did not need to do that as they had all
the information needed to complete the survey. When probed whether they would
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Attachment 30: Round 1 cognitive testing report
be willing to participate in the eventual SLEPS main study, only one respondent said
he would not, providing length as the main reason. Most respondents noted that
they would need supervisor permission to complete the survey, but said they saw
value in the results.
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Appendix A:
SLEPS LEA Survey Cognitive Interviewing Protocol
Interview ID: ___________ [Example: Int#1 RTI]
Date of Interview: ____________
INTRODUCTION
READ THE INTRODUCTION:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview and fill out the survey form. The survey is
designed to collect information on a wide range of topics related to School Resource Officer
programs. The purpose of our interview today is to evaluate our survey questions pertaining to the
characteristics of your law enforcement agency and its school resource officer program. The study is
sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Today, we are hoping to get your feedback and
opinions on these questions, as well as your thoughts on whether you were able to answer them.
This is how it will work. I would like you to read the questions out loud and tell me your response. If
you find anything confusing or if the question is challenging to answer, please let me know. As you
complete the questionnaire, I may ask you some follow-up questions. Please feel free to tell me
anything that comes to mind or ask me anything you are unclear about. We are very interested in
finding out which questions needed a lot of effort to answer, which ones confused you, and which
ones you were not able to answer at all. Your participation in this interview is very important
because it will help us improve the questionnaire. Before we begin, please take a moment to read
the consent form that I emailed you.
Do you have any questions? Do I have your consent to continue with the interview?
1. Yes
2. No – END INTERVIEW
OK let’s begin.
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Instructions
• This survey should be completed by a representative who is most knowledgeable
about your agency’s employment of and policies regarding law enforcement officers
working in schools.
• This survey uses the following terms and definitions:
o School Resource Officer (SRO): any officer who is primarily assigned to any
public K-12 schools, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and employment
status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise specified in the question
o SRO program: your agency’s employment of officers who are primarily assigned
to any K-12 public schools, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and
employment status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise specified in the
question
• The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (42 USC
3732), authorizes this information collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we
need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate, and timely. We
greatly appreciate your assistance.
Burden Statement
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a
person is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau
of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531.
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Law Enforcement Agency Characteristics
1. Which best describes your agency? Please mark all that apply.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify): ___________________________________________________
INTERVIEWER: NOTE WHETHER THEY SELECTED ONE OR MORE THAN ONE
RESPONSE OPTION. IF MORE THAN ONE – PROBE Why?
2.
As of August 31, 2016, how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers does
your agency employ? ______
PROBE: How easy or difficult was it to answer the question?
3.
As of August 31, 2016, how many of the following fulltime and/or part-time officers are primarily assigned to any
public K-12 schools?
Number of
full-time
officers
Number of
part-time
officers
a. Sworn officers with general arrest powers ......................
_______
_______
b. Sworn officers with limited arrest powers .......................
_______
_______
c. Nonsworn officers............................................................
_______
_______
d. Total ................................................................................
_______
_______
IF 0 FULL-TIME OFFICERS—GO TO
END OF SURVEY
PROBE: How easy or difficult was it to answer the question?
PROBE: How would you access the information needed to answer this question?
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4.
Do any of these sworn officers with general arrest
powers (number reported in item 3a) who are primarily
assigned to public K-12 schools…
Yes
No
None
employe
d
Yes
No
None
employed
Yes
No
None
employed
Yes
No
None
employed
a. carry a firearm while working in schools? ...................
b. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
5.
Do any of these sworn officers with limited arrest
powers (number reported in item 3b) who are primarily
assigned to public K-12 schools…
a. carry a firearm while working in schools? ...................
b. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
6.
Do any of these nonsworn officers (number reported in
item 3c) who are primarily assigned to public K-12
schools…
a. wear a uniform while working in schools? ..................
7.
Do any of the following officers receive specialized
School Resource Officer (SRO) training?
a. Sworn officers with general arrest powers...................
b. Sworn officers with limited arrest powers ...................
c. Nonsworn officers ........................................................
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SRO Program Characteristics
8.
Enter the number of SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin
and sex, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and
employment status:
Male
Female
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
_____
______
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
c. Hispanic or Latino
______
______
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
______
______
f. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic
origin
______
______
g. Two or more races
______
______
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
______
______
TOTAL SROs (SUM OF A–H) ______
______
PROBE: How easy or difficult would it be for you to provide this information? Do you currently have
this information or would you have to design a report in order to get this information?
PROBE: Would your agency be willing to provide this information?
9.
In what year did your agency’s SRO program start? ______________
10.
What is the funding source for your SRO program? Please mark all that apply
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
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11.
How many of the following types of schools are served by your SRO
program? If none, please enter ‘0’
Number
a. Elementary schools ........................................................................................
______
b. Middle/Junior high schools............................................................................
______
c. High schools ..................................................................................................
______
PROBE IF NEEDED: How easy or difficult was it to answer the question?
PROBE IF NEEDED: How would you access the information needed to answer this question?
PROBE IF NEEDED: How confident are you in your answer?
11a. Are any of the schools served by your SRO
program…
Yes
No
Don’t know
a. Charter schools ......................................................
b. Alternative schools ................................................
12.
Does your SRO program serve private schools?
Yes
No
13.
In general, do officers in your agency perform SRO functions as a continuous assignment
or do they rotate to other assignments at times?
Continuous assignments
GO TO QUESTION 14
Rotate to other assignments at times
PROBE: Can you tell me in your own words what this question is asking?
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13a. [IF QUESTION 13 RESPONSE IS ROTATE] How often do these rotations occur?
Please mark only one
Only during summer when school is not in session.
Every year
Every few years
Rotations occur on an individual basis with each SRO
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
SRO Policies and Responsibilities
14.
What form of agreement is in place between your agency’s SRO program and the
school(s)/school districts? Please mark all that apply.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other—please specify: ___________________________
There is no formal agreement
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15.
Please consider the policies guiding your SRO program when completing the following
questions. Select the most appropriate category below, when answering questions about
your program’s characteristics.
Please mark only one for each row. If there is an MOU in place between your agency and
the school district, please provide a copy.
SRO program characteristic
Addressed
within a
formal
Addressed
solely through
contract or
internal law
MOU
No formal
contract but
enforcement
between
your agency decided with agency policy
input from
with no input
and the
the school
from the
school
district
school district
district
a. The number of officers in your SRO
program
b. The schedule (e.g., before the school
day begins, the full school day, etc.)
that officers in your SRO program
will spend at school
c. The role of officers in your SRO
program
d. The expectations regarding citations
and referrals by officers in your SRO
program
e. The primary areas of focus (e.g.,
education, mentoring, gangs, drugs,
etc.) by officers in your SRO program
f.
Expectations regarding collaboration
with school administration and
teachers by officers in your SRO
program
g. Expectations for working with
students and parents by officers in
your SRO program
h. Procedures for resolving
disagreements between school
administrators and officers in your
SRO program
PROBE: Would your agency be willing to provide a copy of the MOU for this survey?
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PROBE: Were there any parts of this question that were unclear or confusing?
INTERVIEWER: NOTE WHETHER THEY RE-READ RESPONSE CATEGORIES (WHICH ONES)?
16.
Indicate whether each law enforcement activity is performed by any of your agency’s
SROs, as defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school
districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Law enforcement activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Patrolling school facilities
b. Issuing citations
c. Responding to calls for service on the
school campus
d. Emergency management/crisis
preparedness planning
e. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
f. Making arrests
g. Responding to incidents in the classroom
PROBE: Were there any parts of this question that were unclear or confusing?
PROBE: Do you have any recommendations for how to change this question?
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17.
Indicate whether each mentoring activity is performed by any of your agency’s SROs, as
defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Mentoring activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Truancy intervention
b. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Coaching athletic programs
e. Advising school staff, students, or families
(one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
18.
Indicate whether each teaching activity is performed by any of your agency’s SROs, as
defined by agency policies or agreements with their assigned schools/school districts.
Please mark all that apply.
Teaching activity
Type of SRO Performing Each Activity
Sworn officers
Sworn officers
with general
with limited
Nonsworn
arrest powers
arrest powers
officers
a. Teaching students about drugs, legal
issues, safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution
b. Special safety programs / presentations
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
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19.
Please indicate whether the following items are worn or carried by any of your agency’s
SROs while on the school campus.
Please mark all that apply.
Type of SRO Wearing or Carrying the Item
Sworn
Sworn
N/A; Officers
officers with officers with
do not wear
general arrest limited arrest Nonsworn or carry this
powers
powers
officers
item
Item
a. A regulation uniform identical or
highly consistent with your
agency’s standard uniform
b. Baton/nightstick
c. OC Spray/foam
d. Conducted energy device (e.g.
Taser)
e. Body-worn camera
f. Firearm
g. Other—please specify:
____________________________
PROBE: Were there any parts of this question that were unclear or confusing?
PROBE: Do you have any recommendations for how to change this question?
20.
Do agency policies or agreements with schools require SROs to have regular meetings with
school executive staff, such as the principal, while on assignment?
Yes
No
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21.
According to agency policies or agreements with schools, when must an SRO inform
school executive staff of the following? Please mark all that apply
Action
Not
No policy
Immediat Following required regarding
ely
Action
to inform communicat
Prior to following whenever executive
ion of
action
action
practical
staff
action
a. Stop, question, and
interview of
student/staff
b. Conduct investigation
c. Question students
during school hours
d. Question school
employees during
school hours
e. Arrest of student
during school hours
f. Arrest of school
employee during
school hours
g. Search premises
h. Search student
i. Use of force on student
that does not result in
arrest
PROBE: What is your general impression of this question?
PROBE: Were there any parts of this question that were unclear or confusing?
PROBE: Do you have any recommendations for how to change this question?
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SRO Recruitment, Training, and Supervision
22.
Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires SROs?
Yes
No
GO TO QUESTION 23
22a. [IF QUESTION 22 RESPONSE IS YES] How does the school participate? Please
mark all that apply.
23.
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a “good fit”
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Please mark all that apply.
Through an application process from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired
specifically to be SROs)
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
24.
Which entities provide training to officers in your LEA’s SRO program? Please mark all
that apply.
Our agency itself
NASRO and/or other national officer organizations’
An office or department within our state
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
PROBE: This question mentions NASRO. Is that an organization you’re familiar with?
Just as a reminder, please think aloud as you complete these next questions
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25.
Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following law enforcement
activities/topics?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including initial
training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training refers to
training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of other
assignments.
Sworn Officers
with General
Arrest Powers
SRO-
Sworn Officers
with Limited
Arrest Powers
Not
Law enforcement
specifi provid
activity/topic
c
ed
Any
Any
SROspeci
fic
Nonsworn Officers
Not
provid
ed
Any
SROspeci
fic
Not
provid
ed
a. Conducting law
enforcement
activities in
schools
b. Responding to
calls for service
on the school
campus
c. Responding to
incidents in the
classroom
d. Juvenile gangs
e. Social media
monitoring/techno
logy-related
investigations
f.
Use of deadly
force
g. Use of less lethal
force
h. De-escalation
strategies and
techniques
PROBE: What are your impressions of this question?
PROBE: Were there any parts of this question that were unclear or confusing?
PROBE: Do you have any recommendations for how to change this question?
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26.
Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following prevention and planning
activities?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including initial
training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training refers to
training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of other
assignments.
Sworn Officers
with General
Arrest Powers
SRO-
Sworn Officers
with Limited
Arrest Powers
Not
Prevention and
specifi provid
planning activity Any
c
ed
Any
SROspeci
fic
Not
provid
ed
Nonsworn Officers
Any
SROspeci
fic
Not
provid
ed
a. Crisis
preparedness
planning
b. Security audits/
assessments of
school campuses
c. Truancy intervention and
dropout
prevention
d. Bullying
deterrence
e. Substance abuse
recognition
f.
Teaching students
about drugs, legal
issues, safety,
crime awareness,
or conflict
resolution
g. Special safety
programs/
presentations
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27.
Does your agency provide training to its SROs on the following social and behavioral
topics?
Please note that the ‘Any’ category refers to general training on the topic, including initial
training such as that received during academy training. SRO-specific training refers to
training provided only to SROs as part of the SRO program and not required of other
assignments.
Sworn Officers
with General
Arrest Powers
Social and
behavioral topic
SRONot
specifi provid
c
ed
Any
Sworn Officers
with Limited
Arrest Powers
Any
SROspeci
fic
Not
provid
ed
Nonsworn Officers
Any
SROspeci
fic
Not
provid
ed
a. Conducting
mentoring
activities,
including advising
staff, students,
and/or families
b. Positive school
discipline
c. Student mental
health
d. Cultural
sensitivity and/or
cultural
competency
e. Child/adolescent
psychology/devel
opment
f.
Students with
disabilities
g. Restorative justice
(emphasis on
school
community,
conflict resolution
by repairing harm)
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28.
Do agency policies require supervisors to visit schools for the purpose of observing SROs
on a periodic basis?
Yes
No
GO TO QUESTION 29
28a. [IF QUESTION 28 RESPONSE IS YES] How often? Please mark only one
29.
Once a month
At least twice a year
Once a year
Other—please specify: ___________________________________________________
Does your agency collect data on any of the following measures related to
the activities of SROs and the schools they serve?
Yes
No
a. Number and/or type of suspensions recorded at school .............................
b. Number and/or type of property crimes reported at school ........................
c. Number and/or type of substance violations recorded at school (e.g.
possession, use, buying/selling) ..................................................................
d. Number and/or type of reports of violence at school..................................
e. Number and/or type of arrests made by SRO .............................................
f. Number and/or type of citations issued by SRO.........................................
g. Number and/or type of classes/programs taught by SRO ...........................
h. Number and/or type of mentoring activities performed by SRO................
i. Outreach to faculty/staff performed by SRO ..............................................
j. Outreach to parents/community performed by SRO ..................................
k. Number and/or type of use of force incidents.............................................
PROBE IF NEEDED: Were there any parts of this question that were challenging to answer?
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30.
In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers with
general arrest powers from your jurisdiction who are primarily assigned to work in K-12
public schools. We will use this list to randomly select some of these individual officers to
receive a survey about activities they perform. Included on the form is guidance for
anonymizing the list of officers should you prefer not to provide direct identification of the
officers.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes—please complete the Officer Roster Form
No—please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
PROBE: Is there a need or an interest on the part of the agency to see the SRO survey, either prior to
providing a roster of officers or prior to distributing the surveys to officers?
INTERVIEWER: REFER TO ROSTERING FORM
PROBE: Tell me your thoughts about this form.
PROBE: Tell me how you would go about completing this form.
IF NEEDED:
Would you need to go to another person to get the information required to
complete the form?
INTERVIEWER: NOTE WHETHER THE PARTICIPANT MENTIONS OFFICIAL PERSONNEL RECORDS.
ASK IF NEEDED
IF NEEDED:
On the form it asks you to provide the race and Hispanic origin of each
SRO. Is this information available?
IF NEEDED: Would you answer based on information in agency records, your own
knowledge of the SROs or would you ask the SROs?
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PROBE: How long do you think it would take you to complete the SRO roster form?
END. Thank you very much. Those are all the questions we have for you.
DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
PROBE:
Many of the questions in this survey require you to gather information from several
sources.
Please walk me through how you would go about doing this?
INTERVIEWER: NOTE THE NAMES OF ANY SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS MENTIONED AND
THE NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS/INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED
PROBE: What do you think of the level of effort required to complete this survey?
PROBE:
If you were asked to complete this survey, would you complete it? Why or why not?
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PROBE:
Did you have any concerns with the questions or feel that any of the questions were
particularly sensitive?
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Appendix B:
2016 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
School Resource Officer (SRO) Survey
Instructions
• This survey should be completed by the selected sworn law enforcement officer with
general arrest powers who is primarily assigned to any public K-12 schools. For the
purposes of this survey, we will refer to the officer as an SRO.
• The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (42 USC
3732), authorizes this information collection. Although this survey is voluntary, we
need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate, and timely. We
greatly appreciate your assistance.
Burden Statement
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a
person is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a
current valid OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau
of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531.
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SRO Characteristics
1. Approximately how many years have you served as a sworn law enforcement officer? Please
mark only one
2.
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO in your career? Please count
the total number of years you’ve worked as an SRO even if you held other positions at
times. Please mark only one
3.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Approximately how many years have you worked as an SRO at your current
assignment? Please mark only one
4.
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Less than 1 year
1–2 years
3–5 years
6–10 years
More than 10 years
Do you currently hold a National SRO Practitioner Certificate from the National
Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)?
Yes
No
5.
Are you currently assigned as an SRO? Please mark only one
During part of the school year
During the full traditional school year
Year-round
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6.
How many schools are you currently assigned to as an SRO? Please mark only one
7.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more
What type of school are you currently assigned to?
If you are assigned to more than one school, please answer based on the school you work in
most of the time. If your time is split evenly between 2 or more schools, please answer
based on the school you worked in most recently.
7a.
Elementary school
Middle/junior high school
High school
Other. Please specify: ____________________________________________________
Don’t know
Is this school a…
Yes
No
Don’t know
a. Charter schools ......................................................
b. Alternative schools ................................................
7b.
On average, how many hours per week do you work at this school? _______
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SRO Training
8.
Please indicate if you have received any training on the following law enforcement
activities/topics, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Law Enforcement Activity
Have you
received any
training on this
topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in
schools ................................................................
b. Responding to calls for service on the school
campus ................................................................
c. Responding to incidents in the classroom ..........
d. Juvenile gangs ....................................................
e. Social media/technology-related investigations .
f. Use of deadly force .............................................
g. Use of less lethal force .......................................
h. De-escalation strategies and techniques .............
9.
Please indicate if you have received any training on the following prevention and planning
activities, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Topic
Have you
received any
training on this
topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
a. Crisis preparedness planning ..............................
b. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses.............................................................
c. Truancy intervention and dropout prevention ....
d. Bullying deterrence ............................................
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Teaching students about drugs, legal issues,
safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution ............................................................
g. Special safety programs/ presentations ..............
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10.
Please indicate if you have received any training on the following social and behavioral
topics, and if so, if you receive training on an annual basis.
Topic
Have you
received any
training on this
topic?
Do you receive
training on this
topic annually?
a. Conducting mentoring activities, including
advising staff, students, and/or families .............
b. Positive school discipline ...................................
c. Student mental health .........................................
d. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural
competency .........................................................
e. Child/adolescent psychology/development ........
f. Students with disabilities ....................................
g. Restorative justice (emphasis on school
community, conflict resolution by repairing
harm)...................................................................
SRO Activities
11.
Which of the following law enforcement activities did you perform on or around school
grounds in the past month? Please mark all that apply
Patrolled school facilities
Issued citations
Responded to calls for service at the school
Responded to incidents in the classroom
Emergency management/Crisis preparedness planning
Security audits/ assessments of school campuses
Confiscated weapons
Confiscated drugs
Conducted searches
Made arrests
None
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12.
Which of the following mentoring activities did you perform on or around school grounds
in the past month?
Please mark all that apply
13.
Truancy intervention
Supervised/ coordinated non-athletic extracurricular activities
Field trip chaperone
Coached athletic programs
Advised school staff, students, or families (one-on-one, in a group, etc.)
None
Which of the following teaching activities did you perform on or around school grounds in
the past month?
Please mark all that apply
Taught students about drugs, legal issues, safety, crime awareness, or conflict
resolution in a classroom setting
Special school-wide safety programs/presentations
Faculty/staff in-service presentations
Parent organization presentations
None
14.
Approximately what percentage of your duty time was spent on the following in-school
activities over the past month?
If you do not perform an activity, enter “0”. The total of all activities should be 100%.
Activity
Percentage
(out of 100)
a. Conducting law enforcement activities
_______
b. Conducting mentoring activities with students/staff/families
_______
c. Conducting teaching activities
_______
d. Administrative functions/paperwork related to the above activities
_______
e. Other. Please specify:______________________________________
_______
Total
100%
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15.
Please check the appropriate boxes to indicate whether you have arrested any student(s) for
the following offenses in the last 12 months.
Performed an arrest
in the last 12
months?
Offense
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
16.
Yes
No
Drug possession .........................................................................
Drug distribution ........................................................................
Weapon possession ....................................................................
Weapon use ................................................................................
Theft ...........................................................................................
Threats against students .............................................................
Threats against faculty ...............................................................
Threats against school facility ...................................................
Fighting with students................................................................
Assault on school staff/faculty/security/SROs ..........................
Disorderly conduct.....................................................................
Failure to obey a police officer ..................................................
Other. Please specify:_______________________________
In situations where you arrest a student, what role does the school administration play in
your arrest decisions? Please mark only one
No impact, as arrest determination made solely by myself or other sworn personnel
Memorandum of understanding or other agreement specifies situations where the
school can have influence over my arrest decisions
School administration reviews all arrest-eligible incidents and can provide input
regarding my arrest decision
SROs do not have arrest powers in my assigned school
Other. Please specify: ____________________________________________________
17.
Do you speak another language, aside from English?
Yes—Please specify: ____________________________________________________
No
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17a. [IF QUESTION 17 = YES] Is this other language useful when interacting with
students in the school you are assigned?
Yes
No
Primarily Assigned School Characteristics
If you are an SRO assigned to more than one school, please answer the following questions
based on the school where you spend the majority of your time during your typical shift.
If your time is split evenly between 2 or more schools, please answer based on the school you
worked in most recently.
18.
A gang is an ongoing loosely organized association of three or more persons, whether
formal or informal, that has a common name, signs, symbols, or colors, whose members
engage, either individually or collectively, in violent or other forms of illegal behavior.
Are there known gangs at your primarily assigned school?
Yes
No
Don’t know
19.
Excluding yourself, how many SROs share your shift at your primarily assigned school?
__________
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20.
Other than SROs, what security measures are in place at your primarily assigned school?
Please mark all that apply
21.
Student dress code/uniform
Closed campus (students not allowed leave during school hours without permission)
Controlled access to school grounds (e.g. locked or monitored gates)
Controlled access to school buildings during school hours (e.g. locked or monitored
doors)
Random sweeps for contraband (e.g. drugs, weapons), including dog sniffs
School-issued student IDs
Metal detectors
Security camera(s) to monitor school buildings and/or grounds
Structured anonymous threat reporting system (e.g. online submission, text messaging,
telephone hotline)
School security guards, nonsworn
Other means of restricting access—Please specify: _____________________________
Other measures not listed—Please specify: ___________________________________
Restorative practices build a sense of school community and resolve conflict by repairing
harm and restoring positive relationships. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
(PBIS) is a school-wide intervention that teaches school staff to recognize, monitor, and
reward appropriate student behaviors and to provide consistent sanctions for rule
violations.
Are you involved in the process of engaging students in restorative practices and/or PBIS at
your primarily assigned school?
Yes
No
Don’t know/not familiar with these practices
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22.
We would like to obtain information about the school you primarily work in by linking to
data that has been collected about that school in other surveys. In order to access
information about the school we will need to know the name of the school. We will only
use the name of the school to access information collected from other surveys about the
characteristics of that particular school (i.e. the size and composition of the student
population) and will not release your data to any agency or individual who is not directly
involved with our research. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will use this information
for research purposes only.
School Name ___________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State________________
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
September 8, 2017
BJS Survey of Law Enforcement
Personnel in Schools (SLEPS)
Cognitive Testing, Round 2:
Revised Law Enforcement Agency
Survey and Rostering Components
Final Report
Prepared for
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Elizabeth Davis
Prepared by
RTI International
Emilia Peytcheva
Duren Banks
Police Executive Research Forum
Sean Goodison
RTI International
3040 Cornwallis Road
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
CONTENTS
Section
Page
1.
Introduction .......................................................................................... 1
2.
Methodology ......................................................................................... 1
2.1
Overview ...................................................................................... 2
2.2
Interview Procedures ...................................................................... 3
2.3
Cognitive Interview Findings and Recommendations ............................ 3
2.3.1
LEA Questionnaire ................................................................ 3
2.3.2
LEA Survey Rostering Component......................................... 30
Appendices
Appendix A: SLEPS LEA Survey Cognitive Interviewing Protocol........................ A-1
ii
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
TABLES
Number
Page
Table 1.
Table 2.
Type of Cognitive Interviews by Recruitment Stratification ................... 2
Roster Information and Estimated Burden by Agency Type ................. 31
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
1. INTRODUCTION
The second round of cognitive interviews for the Survey of Law Enforcement
Personnel in Schools (SLEPS) aimed to test the restructured LEA survey and
participants’ willingness to fill out the roster form.
RTI and its partner the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) delivered a detailed
report in December 2016 that summarized findings from the first round of cognitive
interviews. The first round of interviews tested initial drafts of the LEA- and SROlevel questionnaires. Based on the recommendations, the questionnaires were
refined in collaboration with BJS. Given the major changes and restructure of the
LEA questionnaire, a second round of cognitive interviews was conducted with LEA
respondents only.
This report describes the second round of cognitive interviews with LEAs, providing
the background, methodology, findings and recommendations.
2. METHODOLOGY
The goal of the second round of cognitive testing was to evaluate the revised and
reorganized LEA questionnaire and to test whether the revised questions functioned
as intended. As in round 1, in order to ensure as much diversity in agency
characteristics as possible, LEAs were identified based on several criteria. Given the
burden imposed on participants that previously participated in cognitive interviews,
we excluded any agencies that were previously contacted for the first round of
cognitive interviewing (N = 163). We followed a similar stratification approach to
identify LEAs that were diverse in terms of agency size, recency of SRO program,
agency type, and whether the agency had both sworn and nonsworn staff in
schools. 1 The sampling focused on obtaining representation within each cell (i.e.
strata characteristic), regardless of other agency characteristics, in contrast to past
recruiting approaches that purposively sampled based on combinations of strata
characteristics in addition to the strata themselves.
A total of 102 agencies were contacted. Twenty-four agencies agreed to participate,
but due to scheduling obstacles with and/or subsequent non-response from some of
these agencies, 17 LEA interviews were completed. Table 1 presents a summary of
1
Participating agencies in the first round of cognitive interviews were stratified on number of FTS
officers, urbanicity of jurisdiction served, recency of SRO program, and agency type. The second
round added a stratification on whether the agency had both sworn and nonsworn officers in
schools, and dropped the urbanicity of jurisdiction population served.
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LEA cognitive interview participants’ characteristics and whether they completed the
cognitive interview and returned the roster.
Table 1.
Type of Cognitive Interviews by Recruitment Stratification
Completed
Interview
Completed
Roster
17
14
5
2
12
12
17
14
0
0
2008 or later
16
13
Prior to 2008
1
1
10
8
Sheriff's office
6
6
School-based LEA
1
0
Stratification variables
Total
Agency size
< 100 officers
100+ officers
Type of School Officers Employed
Sworn Only
Sworn and non-sworn
Recency of SRO program
Agency type
Local police
2.1
Overview
Cognitive interviewing for the second round of testing the LEA instruments began in
late May 2017 and was conducted through the beginning of August 2017. The
interviews took about 60 minutes to complete and were conducted over the phone.
Respondents were sent the questionnaire and roster a week in advance of the
interview via e-mail. The actual interview was preceded by an informed consent
procedure.
Respondents were asked to complete the questionnaire and roster and return via
fax or password-protected zip file before the call. Out of the 17 responding
agencies, 4 failed to provide a roster, despite weekly e-mail reminders after the
interview.
As in round 1, a cognitive interview protocol guide was used to assess respondents’
understanding of the updated and restructured LEA questions, gauging respondent
perceptions on sensitivity of any questions, willingness to respond, and overall
2
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
burden involved in filling out the questionnaire and roster. At the end of the
interview, respondents were debriefed to gather their perceptions on the overall
experience, and particularly the experience and estimated burden of filling out the
roster. As before, interviewers used scripted probes, but were given the flexibility to
probe spontaneously when needed to assess understanding and perception of the
questions, as well as anything that seemed unclear, unusual, or generally worth
expanding on. The cognitive interview protocol guide can be found in Appendix A.
2.2
Interview Procedures
Sampled agencies were contacted via e-mail (usually sent to the Chief of Police), or
telephone (if an e-mail was not available). Reminder e-mails were sent on a rolling
basis and often focused on under-represented strata. Once respondents were
successfully recruited for the most convenient date and time, recruiters sent out
messages to designated interviewers.
Respondents were told that the interview would take an hour on average and would
be conducted over the phone. Respondents were sent the LEA questionnaire,
roster, sample SRO survey (for reference purposes only), and informed consent a
week before the interview, and asked to complete the LEA questionnaire and roster
and return in advance of the interview.
Once an interview was completed, a summary of the findings for each question was
entered into an Excel file. These files did not contain any personally identifiable
information (PII).
2.3
2.3.1
Cognitive Interview Findings and Recommendations
LEA Questionnaire
The LEA questionnaire was completed by 17 respondents – 10 came from local
police departments, 6 were from Sheriff’s offices, and 1 was from a school-based
LEA. In 1 of those agencies the SRO program was established prior to 2008;
twelve agencies employed more than 100 officers. This section outlines each
question of the LEA questionnaire, followed by findings and recommended changes.
Overall, respondents did not find significant problems with the questions and the
instrument was interpreted as intended by the majority. We found variation in the
interpretation of “primary” (as in assignment, or school district), as well as
“required”. The concept of rotation of SROs to other jobs was also misinterpreted
by some to mean rotation across schools. As in round 1, many respondents noted
that the training topics we asked about were not stand-alone topics, not only
offered to SROs. Below we present a question by question summary and
recommended changes, where needed.
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Instructions and Burden Statement
Overall, respondents did not have any issues with the instructions and burden
statement.
Law Enforcement Agency Characteristics
1. Which best describes your agency? Mark only one.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify): ___________________________________________________
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Keep as is.
2. As of [DATE], how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers were
employed by your agency? ______
Findings: Most respondents had no difficulties reporting an exact number. Recall
strategies included calling the hiring and recruiting Sergeant or Human Resources
to obtain the number; knowing it off hand; knowing it as the department was
getting ready to fill up vacancies, and reporting the allotted by the agency number.
Several respondents noted that there was an “authorized strength” number (the
number the agency can employ) and a “current strength” number. Most
respondents reported the current count, but at least two reported the authorized
number.
Recommendations: Leave as is, as inserting a reference period in the question
(in place of “DATE”) will help respondents understand that we are asking about the
number of employed officers as of particular date rather than authorized strength.
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3. Does your agency employ any officers that are primarily assigned to work in any public K12 school?
Yes
No
GO TO END OF SURVEY
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER Program Characteristics
4. In what year did your agency start assigning officers to public schools? ______________
Findings: Respondents did not have problems providing a year. Recall strategies
included checking records; knowing when the first SROs were hired; being part of
the program from its beginning, or calling someone. Only 5 respondents could not
provide an exact year, but two of them were able to estimate.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
5. As of [DATE], what is the funding source for your SRO program? Mark all that apply.
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
Findings: One respondent commented that the distinction between federal and
state/local grants will be difficult as sometimes federal dollars are allocated through
state grants. One respondent interpreted school district to fall under “state/local”
contract.
At least two respondents mentioned checking this information in MOUs.
Several respondents selected the write in response option (“other, please specify”)
– responses included City of X Department of Education and village government.
One participant selected “other” and wrote in “½ city budget, ½ school district”.
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At least two respondents noted differences in funding mechanisms for elementary
vs. middle vs. high schools.
Recommendations: Modify the question to read “As of [DATE], what is the main
funding source for your SRO program?”
6. How many of the following public schools are served by your SRO program?
Number
a. Elementary schools (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade
is not higher than grade 8)....................................................................................
______
b. Middle schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 9) ............................................................................................
______
c. High schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 12) ..........................................................................................
d. Combined schools (e.g., K-8, K-12)…………………………………..
______
______
Findings: Overall, respondents found the question easy to answer. The division
and description across types of schools were found clear and all inclusive.
One respondent commented on nuances such as not having SROs assigned to
elementary schools, but some SROs would serve elementary schools when needed.
The question was hard to answer for another respondent where Neighborhood SROs
(NSROs), funded by the COPS grant, are assigned to areas rather than specific
schools (including private schools), and were not required to be on campus. One
participant had both an “academy” and a “learning center” that did not fit into any
of the categories, so they put those under “d. Combined schools”. Two participants
mentioned disciplinary schools/alternative schools. One participant left the question
blank due to the word “served” as they only had a few SROs who went to all
schools.
Recommendations: Leave as is as academy and learning centers that offer
secondary education are not of interest and alternative schools should fall under
one of the listed categories that can be defined by the age of the students.
7.
Does your SRO program also serve private schools?
Yes
No
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: No issues. Some respondents noted that even though no one was
assigned, they would serve private schools.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
8.
Do the majority of officers in your SRO program serve on a single permanent assignment
(i.e., only serve as an SRO) or rotate to other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine
patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
Findings: One respondent noted that a typical SRO assignment was for 5-6 years,
thus questioned the use of “permanent”, but interpreted it to mean that if someone
was assigned as an SRO, that would be all they did. This interpretation was shared
by most respondents, who commented that SROs might move between schools
(e.g., from high to middle), but since they were assigned as SROs, they would
consider such assignments one assignment as it did not involve other duties.
Respondents who noted that SROs were assigned to schools only during the school
year, also picked single permanent assignment, despite the fact that SROs might
have other duties over the summer. One respondent seemed to interpret “rotate to
other assignments” as rotation across schools, rather than an assignment to a
single school.
Recommendations: Replace “permanent” with “continuous” in both the question
stem and response options. Change the second response option to read “Rotate to
other assignments, different from an SRO assignment”.
SRO POLICIES AND ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES
9.
Does your agency have written a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program?
Yes
No
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
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10.
With how many entities (school districts and/or individual schools) does your agency
have an agreement (e.g., memorandum of understanding, contractual or verbal
agreement, legislation)? Enter the number of entities by type of agreement in the table
below.
Formal agreement in place
No formal agreement in
place
School districts
_________
_________
Individual schools
_________
_________
If you answered “No” to Q9 above AND “0”under “Formal agreement in place” in
Q10, GO TO Q13.
Findings: One participant was unclear how to answer as their school district had
its own agency, so there was no formal agreement in place. Another respondent
left the question blank despite the fact that all three school districts use MOUs; yet
another left the question blank because they did not know the answer.
Most respondents interpreted “formal agreement” to mean something on paper, a
contract, MOU, or other document that outlined responsibilities. Respondents did
not seem to have problems with the navigation instructions.
Recommendations: Consider adding a filter question that would skip LEAs that
belong to school districts out of this question (similarly, in the electronic version of
the questionnaire, agencies who checked “school district” in question 1, may
skipped this question).
11.
Which of the following best describes the type of agreement in place between your
agency and the primary school/school district served by your SRO program? Mark only one.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other (Please specify): ___________________________
Findings: One respondent noted that sometimes they have MOAs (Memorandum
of Agreement), not MOUs and there is a legal difference between them. One
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
respondent checked “legislation” as their school district had the right to establish its
own department.
“Primary” was interpreted as the school district with the greatest presence of SROs
by some, as the largest school district by others, and as the county school district.
One participant left the question blank because their county only had one school
district and the agreement is with the county.
Recommendations: Define “primary” as the district to which the majority of
SROs are assigned. Reword the question to read:
“Which of the following best describes the type of agreement in place between your agency
and the school district served by majority of your SRO officers? Mark only one.”
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
12.
Please select whether the following SRO program characteristics are specified in either
the formal agreement between your agency and the primary school/school district served by your
SRO program or within your internal departmental policy:
SRO program characteristic:
Yes
No
a. Goals of the SRO program
b. Number of officers in your SRO program
c. Schedule (e.g., before the school day begins, the full
school day, etc.) that officers in your SRO program will
spend at school
d. Supervision or administrative control of SROs
e. Primary functions (e.g., law enforcement, teaching,
mentoring/counseling) of SROs
f. Responsibilities/duties of the school
g. Role of SROs with school discipline
h. Expectations regarding citations and arrests by SROs
i. Expectations regarding collaboration between school
officials and SROs
j. Expectations for SROs when working with students
k. Procedures for resolving disagreements between school
officials and SROs
l. Requirement of regular meetings between school
officials and SROs
Findings: For some respondents, “expectation” was the same as “guidance”; for
others, it was much stronger; yet for others it was what the school district would
want the department to do based on previous experience.
One respondent marked some “yes” responses despite the fact that there were no
formal policy, or written internal policy, noting that the goals could be written, but
not formalized into policy.
Most respondents noted that the difference between response options e) and f) was
that e) referred to the functions of SROs, while f) referred to duties/responsibilities
of the school. Two respondents noted that both options were overlapping and f)
should be removed.
Recommendations: Revise the question to ask whether the “following SRO
program characteristics are specified in writing as departmental goals, internal
10
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
policy, or in a formal agreement between your agency and the primary
school/school district served by your SRO program”.
13.
Are SROs required to inform school executive staff about any of the following actions?
Action:
Yes
No
a. Stop, question, and interview of student/staff in an
official law enforcement capacity
b. Question students during school hours
b. Question school employees during school hours
c. Search student
d. Search premises
e. Conduct criminal investigation
f. Arrest of student during school hours
g. Arrest of school employee during school hours
h. Use of restrain on student that does not result in arrest
Findings: One respondent was not clear what “required” meant – required by
law, best practice, policy, or all? Interpreted as “common practice”. Another
respondent also commented on “required”, suggesting just to ask whether SROs
inform school staff; yet another participant noted that this was not required, but
often done as a courtesy. One participant noted that it depended on whether or not
these things happened on school grounds - some crimes they were required to
report to the school under state law.
Recommendations: Consider rewording the question to read “Do SROs inform
school executive staff about any of the following actions?”
11
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
The response scale can also change from Yes/No to Always, Most of the Time,
Some of the Time, Never.
SRO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION
14.
Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires
SROs?
Yes
No
GO TO QUESTION 16
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
15.
How does the school participate? Mark all that apply.
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a “good fit”
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
Findings: No issues.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
16.
How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Mark all that apply.
Through an application process from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired
specifically to be SROs)
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: No issues. Under “other”, respondents wrote “through civil service
exam”; “gauge interest and look at their background.”
Recommendations: Leave as is.
17.
Does your agency require supervisors to visit schools periodically in order to observe
SROs?
Yes
No
GO TO QUESTION 19
Findings: The interpretation of “periodically” varied across respondents – from “a
minimum number of times”, “regularly, as mandated by policy”, “on a set
schedule”, “any kind of regular visits, such as 4 times per year” to “spot checks”,
“once every couple of weeks”, or “at least once a week”. One respondent
commented that the question was unnecessary.
Two participants said they did visit the schools, but it was not a written policy. One
of them selected ‘Yes’, one of them selected ‘No’ as response options to this
question.
Recommendations: Remove the question and ask about frequency directly
(introducing a “never” response option for agencies that do not visit SROs in
schools).
18.
How often do supervisors visit schools to observe SROs?
At least once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
Findings: No issues. One respondent indicated “daily” should be an option;
another commented that “several times a week” should also be an option.
Recommendations: Leave open-ended, or consider the following scale:
Never
Once a year
Several times a year
Once a month
Several times a month
13
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
19.
Once a week
Several times a week
Daily
Does your agency have access to data (e.g., number or type of incident) on
any of following measures related to SRO activities in the schools they
serve?
Yes
No
a. Arrests made by SRO
b. Citations issued by SRO
c. Classes/programs taught by SRO
d. Mentoring activities performed by SRO
e. Mentoring of faculty/staff performed by SRO
f. Mentoring of parents/community performed by SRO
g. Property crimes reported at school
h. Reports of violence at school
i. Substance violations recorded at school (e.g. possession, use,
buying/selling)
j. Suspensions recorded at school
k. Use of force incidents
Findings: Several respondents identified the subcategories for which they would
not have information, but said they could get it from the school district, or the
Board of Education.
Some respondent found the example in the question stem unnecessary; others
found it helpful.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
14
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
SRO STAFFING
20.
As of [DATE], how many of the following personnel are primarily
assigned to any public K-12 schools?
Number of
employees
a. Sworn officers ......................................................................
_______
b. Nonsworn employees...........................................................
_______
c. Total ....................................................................................
_______
IF YOUR RESPONSE to QUESTION 20A IS LARGER THAN “0” GO TO QUESTION 21.
IF YOUR RESPONSE TO QUESTION 20A IS “0” AND YOUR RSEPONSE TO QUESTION 20B IS LARGER THAN “0”,
GO TO THE NONSWORN OFFICERS SECTION ON PAGE X.
Findings: No issues. One respondent was not clear if the total number should
include their Sergeant. At least two respondents left the total blank, commenting
that if it is computerized, this will not be necessary.
One respondent noted that there was no space to put vacancies. Another
participant found the instructions in the box to be confusing, along with the ‘Total’
in 20c.
Recommendations: Remove “Total” (can be calculated automatically in the web
version of the instrument). For the paper self-administered version, rewrite the
instruction to say:
IF THE NUMBER SWORN OFFICERS IS LARGER THAN “0”, GO TO QUESTION 21.
IF THE NUMBER OF SWORN OFFICERS IS “0” AND THE NUMBER OF NONSWORN EMPLOYEES IS
LARGER THAN “0”, GO TO THE NONSWORN OFFICERS SECTION ON PAGE X.
15
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
SWORN SROs
Please answer the following questions for the sworn officers who serve your SRO program.
21. Enter the number of sworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex:
Male
Female
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
f.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic origin
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL SWORN SROs (SUM OF A-H, should match 20a)
16
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: At least two participants missed the ‘Total’ box and did not provide their
totals. Only one participant thought this table was confusing and suggested
simplifying the table (e.g., take out all of the “not of Hispanic origin” text, based on
respondent’s perception that that category seemed obsolete).
Recommendations: Leave as is. Change the Total instructions to read:
TOTAL NUMBER OF SWORN SROs (SUM OF A-H, should match the number provided in Question 20a)
Do the sworn officers who are primarily assigned to public K12 schools…
22.
All
Some
None
a. carry a firearm while working in schools?
b. wear a uniform while working in schools?
c. have arrest powers?
d. receive specialized SRO training?
[IF YOUR ANSWER TO 22D IS “NONE”, GO TO Q24]
Findings: No issues. One respondent questioned why we offered “some” as an
option, if we were interested in sworn officers. Another respondent noted that
options a) and b) should also be asked in Q30 (equipment) and that sworn officers
would have arrest powers.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
23.
Which entities provide SRO-specific training to sworn officers in your agency? Mark all
that apply.
Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
School district
State organization
National organization (e.g., NASRO)
Other (Please specify):____________________________
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: Several respondents mentioned in house training.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO SWORN SROs
24.
Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to
sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all sworn
officers or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
d. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
e. Responding to incidents in the classroom
f.
Social media monitoring
g. Use of deadly force
h. Use of less lethal force
Findings: One respondent commented that the question was confusing – viewed
as asking about stand-alone training. Most respondents noted that the listed topics
were offered for everyone in the department, not specifically for SROs. One
participant said their agency was small and did not host trainings, but they offered
them through outside organizations. One participant was unclear why social media
monitoring was on the list, given that it was not a law enforcement activity.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
18
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
25.
Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your
agency to sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
sworn officers or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues,
crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Truancy intervention
Findings: No issues. Two respondents commented that truancy was generally
through the school district and another participant left it blank. One participant
noted that for d), they mostly got on-the-job training, but no formal training.
Recommendations: Leave as is. Consistent with round 1 findings, consider
removing “truancy intervention” from the response options.
26.
Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency
to sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all sworn
officers or specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topics
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Students with disabilities
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Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: No issues. Suggested an “Other” option to be added.
Recommendations: Leave as is.
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY SWORN SROs
27.
Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s
sworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing criminal citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the
school campus
f. Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
h. Social media monitoring
Findings: No issues. Respondents found the instructions clear and helpful. At
least three respondents got hung up on “required” and noted that a better
rewording might be to ask whether the officers participated in the listed activities as
part of their daily responsibilities.
One respondent was unclear what “crisis preparedness planning” referred to.
Another participant was not sure why “social media monitoring” would be part of
their responsibilities outside of an investigation.
Recommendations: Similarly to Q13, replace “required” with an active voice:
Do sworn officers in your agency participate in each of the following law
enforcement activities while on duty?
20
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
28.
Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s
sworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or
families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group,
etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c.
Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
Findings: One respondent commented that truancy issues in their state were
handled by the school. Several respondents noted that nothing was “required” and
said that it suggested a formalized agreement. One respondent suggested
clarifying whether we were interested in agreed upon activities in writing, or
informal.
One participant was unclear on what they would be advising on in option a). The
same respondent was not sure what was included under e) - making sure kids do
not leave school grounds, or knocking on doors to see where students were?
Recommendations: Similarly to Q27, replace “required” with an active voice:
Do sworn officers in your agency participate in each of the following mentoring
activities?
21
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
29.
Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s
sworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts,
or expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g. drugs,
legal issues, crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
Findings: Several respondents commented on “required”, noting that SROs would
involve themselves in these activities, but were not required to do so. At least two
respondents correctly selected “no” when answering this question; another
incorrectly selected “yes” as the question was interpreted to ask about activities
“despite the lack of formalized agreement”.
Recommendations: Similarly to previous questions, reword the question to avoid
“required”:
Do sworn officers in your agency participate in each of the following teaching
activities?
22
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
30.
Which of the following equipment are issued to your agency’s sworn SROs while on
the school campus? Mark all that apply.
Item:
Issued by
department for
use
Not formally
issued, but
allowed use
Not
allowed
a. Baton/nightstick
b. Body-worn camera
c. Conducted energy device (e.g. Taser)
d. Handheld metal detector wand
e. Hobble restraints
f. OC Spray/foam
g. Other (Please specify):
____________________________
IF YOU REPORTED “0” NONSWORN OFFICERS IN QUESTION 20, PART B, GO TO QUESTION 41 ON PAGE
X.
Findings: One respondent noted that none of the response options fit, as for
example, all officers were issued a baton, but the agency did not want the SROs to
have them in schools. Similarly, metal detectors were not “issued”, but could be
allowed. The respondent suggested to distinguish among “regularly used/carried”,
“not regularly used/carried”, and “not issued/permitted”. Another respondent made
a similar comment for tasers; yet another gave body-worn cameras in schools as
an example of something that is issued, but not allowed in schools.
“Other” response to this questions included “Velcro or alternative restraints”, and
“handcuffs”. One respondent did not know what “hobble restraints” meant.
One respondent noted that the same equipment was issued across the department,
regardless of SRO status and commented that the question made it sound that we
were interested of what only SROs were issued.
One participant did not see the skip instructions in the box and continued on to
answer Q31, entering zeros.
23
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Recommendations: Consider adding “firearms” and “uniform” from Q22 here as
well, as suggested by a respondent.
Consider adding a response option, so the response categories include:
Issued and carried
Issued, but not carried
Not issued, but allowed
Not allowed
NONSWORN SROs
Please answer the following questions for the nonsworn employees who serve your SRO program.
31. Enter the number of nonsworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex:
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
Male
Female
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
f.
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic origin
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
. TOTAL NONSWORN SROs (SUM OF A-H, should match 20b)
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
24
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Do the nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to
public K-12 schools…
32.
All
Some
None
a. wear a uniform while working in schools?
b.
receive specialized SRO training?
IF YOUR RESPONSE TO QUESTION 32B IS “NONE”, GO TO QUESTION 34.
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
33.
Which entities provide SRO-specific training to nonsworn employees in your agency?
Mark all that apply.
Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
School district
State organization
National organization (e.g., NASRO)
Other (Please specify):____________________________
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO NONSWORN SROs
34.
Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to
nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic
Yes
No
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in schools
25
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
b. De-escalation strategies and techniques
c. Gangs
d. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
e. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
f.
Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Social media monitoring
h. Use of less lethal force
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
35.
Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your
agency to nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training
provided to all nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues,
crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Truancy intervention
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
26
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
36.
Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency
to nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topics
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Students with disabilities
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY NONSWORN SROs
37.
Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s
nonsworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the school
campus
f. Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
h. Social media monitoring
27
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
38.
Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s
nonsworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or
families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group,
etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
28
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
39.
Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s
nonsworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g.,
drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, distracted
driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
Findings: Not probed specifically.
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
40.
Which of the following equipment are issued to your agency’s nonsworn SROs while
on the school campus? Mark all that apply.
Item:
Issued by
department for
use
Not formally
issued, but
allowed use
Not allowed
a. Baton/nightstick
b. Body-worn camera
c. Conducted energy device (e.g. Taser)
d. Handheld metal detector wand
e. Hobble restraints
f. OC Spray/foam
g. Other (Please specify):
____________________________
Findings: Not probed specifically.
29
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Recommendations: Apply changes recommended for the parallel question in the
Sworn Officers section.
2.3.2
41.
LEA Survey Rostering Component
In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers
from your jurisdiction who are primarily assigned to work in K-12 public schools. We
will use this list to randomly select some of these individual officers to receive a survey
about activities they perform. Included on the form is guidance for anonymizing the list
of officers should you prefer not to provide direct identification of the officers.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes—please complete the Officer Roster Form
No—please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Findings: In general, respondents did not have any issues providing this
information. The survey itself was estimated to take 15-40 minutes to complete
(including checking with other sources for certain information).
The completion of the roster itself ranged from 2-3 min to 16 hours. The purpose
of the roster was clear to respondents. One respondent questioned why we needed
to collect race, but said he did not mind providing it. Another respondent
questioned why we needed to make the selection and suggested that once the
agency was committed, it would select officers based on the specified criteria. In
general, respondents did not need additional approvals to provide that data.
Suggestions for what roster identifiers to use varied from initials, name and
command, employee number, badge/shield numbers (even though it was noted
that some agencies recycle badge numbers and might be a problem to link back at
a later stage), and numbers provided by state academies. Interestingly, among the
14 returned rosters, 6 contained only initials, 1 contained initials and ID number, 3
provided full names, 3 provided last names, and 1 provided an ID number only.
Table 2 summarizes the number of SROs reported by agency type, the identifiers
selected by the agency and the estimated burden to fill out the roster.
30
Attachment 31: Round 2 cognitive testing report
Table 2.
Roster Information and Estimated Burden by Agency Type
Agency Type
SRO count
Information
provided to uniquely
identify SROs
Initials
Requested
information about Estimated Burden
each SRO provided
All
Minimal
A couple of
All
minutes
Local PD
8
Local PD
2
Local PD
2
Local PD
Local PD
Local PD
17
19
4,746
Local PD
Local PD
17
3
Initials
First Initial, Last
Name
Last name
Initials
Full name
Initials and ID
number
Initials
Sheriff's office
3
Initials
All
Sheriff's office
12
Full Name
All
Sheriff's office
Sheriff's office
Sheriff's office
Sheriff’s office
16
25
6
1
First Initial, Last
Name
Full Name
Initials
ID number
All
All
All
All
All
5 minutes
All
All
All
(not provided)
Few minutes
16 hours
All
All
5 minutes
Negligible
30 min (survey +
roster)
Less than 10
minutes
(not provided)
About 5 minutes
2-3 minutes
5 minutes
One respondent noted that initials and badge numbers were public information;
another respondent suggested collecting e-mail addresses, so we could contact
SROs directly, as he was afraid that a request coming from him might influence the
responses. Participants did not have any concerns completing the roster.
Recommendations: Given that half of the respondents provided SROs’ names
rather than badge numbers or other identifiers, we would recommend abbreviating
the text in the request to explicitly ask for names. Such change would later allow
us to follow up with SRO nonrespondents by mailing a package directly to them. In
order to minimize burden, we would also suggest considering asking LEAs to
indicate whether they would prefer to distribute the invitation letters/packages to
their SROs, or whether we could contact them directly and provide mailing
address(es) if different from the agency address.
31
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
Appendix A:
SLEPS LEA Survey Cognitive Interviewing Protocol
Interview ID: ___________ [Example: Int#1 RTI]
Date of Interview: ____________
INTRODUCTION
READ THE INTRODUCTION:
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview and fill out the survey form. The survey is
designed to collect information on a wide range of topics related to School Resource Officer
programs. The purpose of our interview today is to evaluate our survey questions pertaining to the
characteristics of your law enforcement agency and its school resource officer program. The study
is sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Today, we are hoping to get your feedback and
opinions on these questions, as well as your thoughts on whether you were able to answer them.
This is how it will work. We would go over the survey question by question and will talk about how
you came up with your response. If you find anything confusing or if the question was challenging to
answer, please let me know. I may ask you some follow-up questions. Please feel free to tell me
anything that comes to mind or ask me anything you are unclear about. We are very interested in
finding out which questions needed a lot of effort to answer, which ones confused you, and which
ones you were not able to answer at all. Your participation in this interview is very important
because it will help us improve the questionnaire. Before we begin, please take a moment to read
the consent form that I emailed you.
Do you have any questions? Do I have your consent to continue with the interview?
1. Yes
2. No – END INTERVIEW
OK let’s begin.
A-1
OMB No. 1121-0339; Approval Expires 02/28/2019
2016 Survey of Law Enforcement Personnel in Schools
(SLEPS) Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) Survey
[Display ORI with agency info]
INSTRUCTIONS
• This survey should be completed by a representative who is most knowledgeable
about your agency’s employment of and policies regarding law enforcement
officers working in schools.
• This survey uses the following terms and definitions:
• School Resource Officer (SRO): any officer who is primarily assigned to any
public K-12 school, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers, and employment
status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise specified in the question.
• SRO program: your agency’s employment of officers who are primarily
assigned to any K-12 public school, regardless of sworn status, arrest powers,
and employment status (full-time or part-time), unless otherwise specified in
the question.
• The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (42 USC
3732), authorizes this information collection. Although this survey is voluntary,
we need your participation to make the results comprehensive, accurate, and
timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.
Burden Statement
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is
not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 1 hour per response, including time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this
burden estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810
Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY CHARACTERISTICS
1. Which best describes your agency? Mark only one.
Police department, municipal
Police department, county
State/highway department
Sheriff’s Office
Tribal
Independent School District
Other (please specify): ___________________________________________________
2. As of [DATE], how many sworn full-time officers with general arrest powers were
employed by your agency? ______
Probe: How did you come up with this number?
3. Does your agency employ any officers that are primarily assigned to work in any public K12 school?
Yes
No
GO TO END OF SURVEY
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS
4. In what year did your agency start assigning officers to public schools? ______________
Probe: How easy or difficult was to recall that year?
Probe: How confident are you in your response?
5. As of [DATE], what is the funding source for your SRO program? Mark all that apply.
Federal grant
State/Local grant
Law enforcement agency
School district
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Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
6. How many of the following public schools are served by your SRO program?
Number
a. Elementary schools (lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade
is not higher than grade 8) ....................................................................................
______
b. Middle schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 9) ............................................................................................
______
c. High schools (lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not
higher than grade 12) ..........................................................................................
d. Combined schools (e.g., K-8, K-12)…………………………………..
______
______
Probe: Are the descriptions for the types of schools clear and easy to understand? Do they help
you answer the question?
7. Does your SRO program also serve private schools?
Yes
No
8. Do the majority of officers in your SRO program serve on a single permanent assignment
(i.e., only serve as an SRO) or rotate to other assignments (e.g., juvenile detective, routine
patrol)? Mark only one.
Single permanent assignment
Rotate to other assignments
Probe: How did you come up with your response (how did you determine if majority of the officers had
permanent assignments or rotate)?
Probe: For single permanent assignment – did you think of officers who serve only 1 school, or officers
who serve as SROs regardless of the number of schools?
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SRO POLICIES AND ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITIES
9. Does your agency have written a departmental policy specifically for your SRO program?
Yes
No
10. With how many entities (school districts and/or individual schools) does your agency have an
agreement (e.g., memorandum of understanding, contractual or verbal agreement,
legislation)? Enter the number of entities by type of agreement in the table below.
Formal agreement in place
No formal agreement in place
School districts
_________
_________
Individual schools
_________
_________
If you answered “No” to Q9 above AND “0”under “Formal agreement in place” in
Q10, GO TO Q13.
Probe: Did you notice the instructions at the end of the question where to go next? (Did you
have trouble navigating to the next question?)
Probe: How did you interpret “No formal agreement”?
Probe: What would be examples of “formal agreement”?
11. Which of the following best describes the type of agreement in place between your agency
and the primary school/school district served by your SRO program? Mark only one.
Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
Contractual agreement, such as through a grant or other basis
Legislation
Verbal agreement
Other (Please specify): ___________________________
Probe: Is asking about the ‘primary’ school/school district appropriate? Does this make sense/do they
know how to answer this question, or would it be better to ask about the largest school/school district
served?
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12. Please select whether the following SRO program characteristics are specified in either the
formal agreement between your agency and the primary school/school district served by your
SRO program or within your internal departmental policy:
SRO program characteristic:
Yes
No
a. Goals of the SRO program
b. Number of officers in your SRO program
c. Schedule (e.g., before the school day begins, the full
school day, etc.) that officers in your SRO program will
spend at school
d. Supervision or administrative control of SROs
e. Primary functions (e.g., law enforcement, teaching,
mentoring/counseling) of SROs
f. Responsibilities/duties of the school
g. Role of SROs with school discipline
h. Expectations regarding citations and arrests by SROs
i. Expectations regarding collaboration between school
officials and SROs
j. Expectations for SROs when working with students
k. Procedures for resolving disagreements between school
officials and SROs
l. Requirement of regular meetings between school
officials and SROs
Probe: What does the term ‘expectations’ mean to you (in answer options h-j)? Does this
equate to guidance?
Probe: In your own words, what is the difference between response option e) and f)?
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13. Are SROs required to inform school executive staff about any of the following actions?
Action:
Yes
No
a. Stop, question, and interview of student/staff in an
official law enforcement capacity
b. Question students during school hours
b. Question school employees during school hours
c. Search student
d. Search premises
e. Conduct criminal investigation
f. Arrest of student during school hours
g. Arrest of school employee during school hours
h. Use of restrain on student that does not result in arrest
SRO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION
14. Do schools participate in the selection process when your agency recruits and hires SROs?
Yes
No GO TO QUESTION 16
15. How does the school participate? Mark all that apply.
Through active recruitment of officers
Through participation in requirements/selection criteria
By reviewing SRO candidates prior to selection
By providing feedback on SROs after placement to help determine a
“good fit”
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Other (Please specify):
___________________________________________________
16. How does your agency select officers for the SRO program? Mark all that apply.
Through an application process from within the department
Through an application process external to the department (i.e. officers are hired
specifically to be SROs)
By nomination of officers from within the department
Through assignment as part of regular duty schedule
As a result of input and/or recommendations by school(s)/school district
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
17. Does your agency require supervisors to visit schools periodically in order to observe SROs?
Yes
No GO TO QUESTION 19
Probe: How did you interpret “periodically”?
18. How often do supervisors visit schools to observe SROs?
At least once a week
Several times a month
Once a month
Several times a year
Once a year
Other (Please specify): ___________________________________________________
Probe: What did you think of the response options? Do they adequately cover the
frequency of supervisor visits in your agency?
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19. Does your agency have access to data (e.g., number or type of incident) on
any of following measures related to SRO activities in the schools they
serve?
Yes
No
a. Arrests made by SRO
b. Citations issued by SRO
c. Classes/programs taught by SRO
d. Mentoring activities performed by SRO
e. Mentoring of faculty/staff performed by SRO
f. Mentoring of parents/community performed by SRO
g. Property crimes reported at school
h. Reports of violence at school
i. Substance violations recorded at school (e.g. possession, use,
buying/selling)
j. Suspensions recorded at school
k. Use of force incidents
Probe: Are the examples provided in the question (“number or type of incident”) appropriate and
helpful in answering the question, or is it confusing if they may only have access to certain pieces of
information (e.g., number of incidents but not type)?
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SRO STAFFING
20. As of [DATE], how many of the following personnel are primarily
assigned to any public K-12 schools?
Number of
employees
a. Sworn officers ......................................................................
_______
b. Nonsworn employees ...........................................................
_______
c. Total ....................................................................................
_______
IF YOUR RESPONSE to QUESTION 20A IS LARGER THAN “0” GO TO QUESTION 21.
IF YOUR RESPONSE TO QUESTION 20A IS “0” AND YOUR RSEPONSE TO QUESTION 20B IS LARGER
THAN “0”, GO TO THE NONSWORN OFFICERS SECTION ON PAGE X.
Probe: Did you read the instructions where to go next and did you have trouble understanding them?
Probe: How easy or difficult did you find the calculation of a total in part c)?
SWORN SROs
Please answer the following questions for the sworn officers who serve your SRO program.
21. Enter the number of sworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex:
Male
Female
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
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c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
f. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic origin
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL SWORN SROs (SUM OF A-H, should match 20a)
Probe: Would it be easier to provide if this was a 2 part question, with the first part collecting Hispanic
origin/gender and the second part collecting race/gender?
Probe: Do you think calculating the total helped you check your numbers?
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22. Do the sworn officers who are primarily assigned to public
K-12 schools…
All
Some
None
b. carry a firearm while working in schools?
b. wear a uniform while working in schools?
c. have arrest powers?
d. receive specialized SRO training?
[IF YOUR ANSWER TO 22D IS “NONE”, GO TO Q24]
23. Which entities provide SRO-specific training to sworn officers in your agency? Mark all
that apply.
Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
School district
State organization
National organization (e.g., NASRO)
Other (Please specify):____________________________
TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO SWORN SROs
24. Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to
sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all sworn
officers or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic
Yes
No
a. De-escalation strategies and techniques
b. Gangs
c. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
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d. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
e. Responding to incidents in the classroom
f.
Social media monitoring
g. Use of deadly force
h. Use of less lethal force
25. Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your
agency to sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
sworn officers or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues,
crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Truancy intervention
26. Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency to
sworn officers in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all sworn officers or
specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topics
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
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f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Students with disabilities
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY SWORN SROs
27. Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of
your agency’s sworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included
in your internal departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with
schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing criminal citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the
school campus
f. Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
h. Social media monitoring
Probe: Are the instructions provided clear and helpful in answering the question? (This also applies to
q28, q29, q37, q38, q39.)
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28. Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s sworn
SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental
policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or expected by
department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
c. Advising school staff, students, or
families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group,
etc.)
d. Coaching athletic programs
c.
Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
29. Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s
sworn SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal
departmental policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or
expected by department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g. drugs,
legal issues, crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
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30. Which of the following equipment are issued to your agency’s sworn SROs while on the
school campus? Mark all that apply.
Item:
Issued by
department for
use
Not formally
issued, but
allowed use
. Not allowed
a. Baton/nightstick
b. Body-worn camera
c. Conducted energy device (e.g. Taser)
d. Handheld metal detector wand
e. Hobble restraints
f. OC Spray/foam
g. Other (Please specify):
____________________________
IF YOU REPORTED “0” NONSWORN OFFICERS IN QUESTION 20, PART B, GO TO QUESTION 41 ON PAGE
X.
NONSWORN SROs
Please answer the following questions for the nonsworn employees who serve your SRO program.
31. Enter the number of nonsworn SROs in your agency by race/Hispanic origin and sex:
Male
Female
a. White, not of Hispanic origin
b. Black or African American, not of Hispanic origin
c. Hispanic or Latino
d. American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Hispanic origin
e. Asian, not of Hispanic origin
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f. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, not of Hispanic origin
g. Two or more races
h. Race/Hispanic origin not known
TOTAL NONSWORN SROs (SUM OF A-H, should match 20b)
Probe: Would it be easier to provide if this was a 2 part question, with the first part collecting Hispanic
origin/gender and the second part collecting race/gender?
Probe: Do you think calculating a total helped you make sure your numbers are correct?
32. Do the nonsworn employees who are primarily assigned to public K-12 schools…
All
Some None
a. wear a uniform while working in schools?
b.
receive specialized SRO training?
IF YOUR RESPONSE TO QUESTION 32B IS “NONE”, GO TO QUESTION 34.
33. Which entities provide SRO-specific training to nonsworn employees in your agency?
Mark all that apply.
Our agency itself (e.g., academy or in-service)
School district
State organization
National organization (e.g., NASRO)
Other (Please specify):____________________________
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TRAINING TOPICS OFFERED TO NONSWORN SROs
34. Which of the following law enforcement training topics are offered by your agency to
nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Law enforcement activity/topic
Yes
No
a. Conducting law enforcement activities in schools
b. De-escalation strategies and techniques
c. Gangs
d. Procedures for handling juvenile offenders
e. Responding to calls for service on the school campus
f.
Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Social media monitoring
i.
Use of less lethal force
35. Which of the following prevention and planning training topics are offered by your agency
to nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Prevention and planning topic/activity
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g., drugs, legal issues,
crime awareness, distracted driving)
b. Bullying deterrence
c. Crisis preparedness planning
d. Security audits/assessments of school campuses
e. Substance abuse recognition
f. Truancy intervention
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36. Which of the following social and behavioral training topics are offered by your agency to
nonsworn employees in your SRO program? Please consider training provided to all
nonsworn employees or specifically for SROs.
Social and behavioral topics
Yes
No
a. Child/adolescent psychology/development
b. Conflict resolution
c. Cultural sensitivity and/or cultural competency
d. Mental health issues
e. Mentoring staff, students, and/or families
f.
Positive school discipline (e.g., PBIS)
g. Students with disabilities
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ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY NONSWORN SROs
37. Please indicate whether each law enforcement activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn
SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy,
included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Law enforcement activity:
Yes
No
a. Crisis preparedness planning
b. Issuing citations
c. Making arrests
d. Patrolling school facilities
e. Responding to calls for service on the
school campus
f. Responding to incidents in the classroom
g. Security audits/assessments of school
campuses
h. Social media monitoring
38. Please indicate whether each mentoring activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn SROs
while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental policy, included in
a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or expected by department executives.
Mentoring activity:
Yes
No
a. Advising school staff, students, or
families (e.g., one-on-one, in a group,
etc.)
b. Coaching athletic programs
c. Field trip chaperone
d. Supervising/coordinating non-athletic
extra-curricular activities
e. Truancy intervention
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39. Please indicate whether each teaching activity is required of any of your agency’s nonsworn
SROs while on duty. Mark ‘yes’ if the activity is included in your internal departmental
policy, included in a formal agreement with schools/school districts, or expected by
department executives.
Teaching activity:
Yes
No
a. Administering special safety programs (e.g.,
drugs, legal issues, crime awareness, distracted
driving)
b. Conflict resolution
c. Faculty / staff in-service presentations
d. Parent organization presentations
40. Which of the following equipment are issued to your agency’s nonsworn SROs
while on the school campus? Mark all that apply
Item:
Issued by
Not formally
department for issued, but
use
allowed use
. Not allowed
a. Baton/nightstick
b. Body-worn camera
c. Conducted energy device (e.g. Taser)
d. Handheld metal detector wand
e. Hobble restraints
f. OC Spray/foam
g. Other (Please specify):
____________________________
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41. In addition to this survey, we provided you with a form to list all of the sworn officers from
your jurisdiction who are primarily assigned to work in K-12 public schools. We will use
this list to randomly select some of these individual officers to receive a survey about
activities they perform. Included on the form is guidance for anonymizing the list of officers
should you prefer not to provide direct identification of the officers.
Are you willing to provide this information?
Yes—please complete the Officer Roster Form
No—please indicate why you are not willing to provide this information:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Probes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is the purpose of the Roster Form clear?
Do you require additional approvals to complete and submit the Roster Form?
If providing unique identifiers other than the officers’ names, what is the simplest identifier for
you to use yet still be able to link it back to individual SROs (e.g., badge number? Officer
initials?)?
Is SRO race/ ethnicity readily available?
Is SRO gender readily available?
Do you have any concerns about completing the Roster Form?
Would you have any concerns about distributing the SRO surveys to the officers randomly
identified by RTI?
Not including time spent on the call, approximately how much time was spent filling out the
survey and roster form (if possible, note two separate numbers for survey and roster form)?
END. Thank you very much. Those are all the questions we have for you.
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | Davis, Elizabeth |
| File Modified | 2019-05-23 |
| File Created | 2019-05-16 |