by Nick Delgado

Guam - Five new school resource officers will start their new jobs at the island's public high schools tomorrow. DOE safety administrator Bruce Williams recently briefed the POST Commission on the responsibilities of the SROs and the training they underwent to prepare them for the job.

"These officers are there to protect the school community and also be counselors and educators for law enforcement related activities," he said. "It takes time for the program to work because of the community, school and stakeholders that are there, these officers will begin to know the in's and out's of the community of the students, those at risk, etc. and they will be able to work with them and assist them, a lot of times we get calls to the police department that are unnecessary."

Williams says the schools are overwhelmed and the officers will be there to help fill the gap and ensure the schools have a safe learning environment. The Department of Education also expects that the presence of the SROs will significantly curb violence on campus.

This is a pilot program and DOE is hopeful they can eventually implement it in middle and elementary schools as well.