Lincoln Public Schools will have two additional school resource officers this school year, expanding the district’s total number of SROs to 16. Lincoln Police Captain Todd Kocian announced the addition Tuesday as city officials highlighted school safety efforts ahead of the start of classes.
The two new officers will serve as relief school resource officers, rotating among middle and high schools across the district. They’ll fill in when regularly assigned SRO’s are unavailable because of training, vacation or illness.
“Both officers have previous SRO experience and bring our roster of school resource officers up to 16 across Lincoln Public Schools,” Kocian says. The additional officers expand a partnership between Lincoln Police and Lincoln Public Schools that is now in its 55th year.
The SRO additions come as Lincoln police also prepare to increase traffic enforcement around schools. Kocian says the department’s motor unit and patrol officers will make school zones a priority as classes begin. He reminded drivers that fines double in active school zones and urged parents to talk with children about pedestrian safety.
Kocian says children should not assume drivers see them simply because they’re using a marked crosswalk. “Make eye contact with the driver and make sure the vehicle stops before you walk in front of the vehicle, even if it’s in a marked crosswalk.”
Lincoln’s school resource officer program is part of a broader effort involving Lincoln Police, Lincoln Public Schools and other city departments to improve safety for students traveling to and from school.