Sioux Falls Police Change SRO Program

The Sioux Falls Police Department will make several changes to the School Resource Officer, or SRO, program for the new school year this fall.

In the past SROs were assigned to specific schools.

But Chief Doug Barthel says in order to help with the growing number of public and private schools in Sioux Falls, this fall the SROs will instead be assigned to a quadrant in which they can take a team approach to the schools in their area.

The team approach is similar to changes made with patrol officers a few years ago.

Barthel says the change will allow the Police Department to dedicate more resources where they are needed most, while also providing coverage for all of the schools.

In another change being made for fall, Barthel says the 'I Can' message will be instructed by the schools instead of by the SROs.

He says the program was developed in collaboration between SROs and teachers and replaced the former DARE Program.

Officers who taught that program will instead concentrate their efforts solely on their SRO responsibilities.