Riverside Public Safety
School Resource Officer

Officer Matt Westrich is the School Resource Officer at Park Hill South and a member of the Riverside Department of Public Safety. Threats, crimes or other suspicious activity can be reported through the Anonymous Tip Line online or by phone at 1-866-748-7047.

History of the School Resource Officer

A School Resource Officer serves as major link between our community and children. The first School Resource Officer program started in Michigan in the 1950s. There are thousands of school resource officers assigned to our nation’s elementary, middle and high schools. School Resource Officers have many opportunities to open communication with young adults and encourage them. Students often times do not see School Resource Officers as a threat, but more as a person they can trust and feel comfortable talking with in confidence.

What does the School Resource Officer do?

The goal of the School Resource Officer is to promote a safe-school environment for learning. By doing that, the School Resource Officer engages his work under the TRIAD concept (Law Enforcement Officer- Law-related educator- Law-related counselor) of school based policing by doing the following: Bridging the gap between police officers and young people; increasing positive attitudes towards law enforcement; teach the value of our legal system; promote respect for people and property and reduce juvenile delinquency by helping students formulate an awareness of rules, authority, and justice. The School Resource Officer can spend more time interacting students and teachers during the school day resulting in increased rapport and student-initiated contacts.

Law-Related Education

The School Resource Officer has a growing list of instruction on a variety of law-related topics for teachers and their students. Law-related education focuses on educating students on laws pertaining to Alcohol and Drug Awareness; Constitutional Law; Traffic and Municipal Law; Domestic Violence, Crime Prevention/Reporting in Schools and much more.

Law-Related Counselor

The School Resource Officer works closely with Park Hill South Counseling staff in order to provide appropriate levels of support and information to students and parents by counseling them on a variety of issues, such as violence; anger management; personal conflicts; harassment; bullying; drug and alcohol issues; abuse and/or neglect.

Law Enforcement Officer

The School Resource Officer’s goal is not to see how many students he can arrest or traffic tickets he can issue. Prevention is the key. Just having the presence of the School Resource Officer deters suspicious activity and reduces crime at Park Hill South. Police referrals made to the School Resource Officer allows for easier follow-up investigation, thus netting higher solvability. Other duties include conducting investigations and interviews; works with surrounding law enforcement agencies; liaison between the school, community and local law enforcement; provides a positive role model; provides expertise in safety planning; and serves as a resource for information and services to students, parents and school personnel. The School Resource Officer attends sports events and other school-related activities taking place at Park Hill South. This presence brings a level of comfort for students, staff and families who come to watch their children and fellow students excel.

Visit the Park Hill South SRO Web site for more information about Officer Westrich and the Park Hill South program, or visit the NASRO Web site for more information about school resource officers.